The Future of the “Iron Horse”

To-Day many influences are at work tending to effect vast changes in every field of railway activity. For many years, however, it seems likely that the steam locomotive will continue the principal agency in long-distance passenger and freight movement, and all over the world this faith in the future of the steam engine is reflected in the many new, increasingly powerful steam locomotives being put into service. In Britain, new types of steam locomotives are being constructed to handle the long and heavy trains which to-day are standard practice, and recent locomotive additions on the Great Western and London and North-Eastern lines are of considerable interest.

At the Swindon shops of the Great Western, there are being turned out a batch of eighty, two-cylinder, 4-6-0 type engines, to be known as the “Hall” Class. These are intended for heavy passenger train haulage in and out of the Paddington Terminal, London. The new locomotives have outside cylinders, 18 1/2in. diameter and 30in. stroke. The coupled wheels have a diameter of 6ft., and the bogie wheels of 3ft. The boiler barrel is conical in shape, and a Belpaire firebox is fitted, the working pressure being 225lbs. per sq. in. At 85 per cent. of the boiler pressure, the tractive effort is 27.275lbs. The tender carries 3,500 gallons of water and 6 tons of coal, and is of the familiar six-wheeled pattern. The total weight of locomotive and tender is 115 tons.

On the London and North-Eastern line the latest type of steam locomotive to be constructed takes the form of a batch of 4-6-0 type fast passenger engines, for use on the Great Eastern section of the system. These are three-cylinder machines with a tractive effort of 25,380lbs. The outside cylinders are equipped with Walschaerts valve gear, and the inside cylinder, which drives the leading coupled axle, is equipped with Gresley valve gear. The cylinders are of 17 1/2in. diameter and 26in. stroke, while other dimensions are as follows: Diameter of coupled wheels, 6ft. 8in.; diameter of bogie wheels, 3ft. 2in.; grate area, 27 1/2 sq. ft.; length of boiler barrel, 13 1/2ft.; diameter of boiler barrel, 5 1/2ft.; total heating surface, 2,020 sq. ft.; working pressure, 200lbs. per sq. in.; coal capacity, 4 tons; water capacity, 3,700 gallons; empty weight of engine, 69 3/4 tons; empty weight of tender, 19 tons.

A most interesting subject for conjecture is afforded in the trend of locomotive design in the years which lie ahead. In this connection a helpful paper, worthy of more than passing notice, was recently read before the Institute of Locomotive Engineers, by Dr. D. S. Anderson, Principal of Derby Technical College. Pointing out that, to-day, the problem confronting page 17 railway engineers was the development of a locomotive giving increased power and higher economy, without undue increase in size, weight, or complication, Dr. Anderson stated that solutions were offered by internal combustion, with various forms of drive, and by the steam turbine and condenser, or the steam reciprocator and condenser. The conditions of railway operation were unfavourable to the internal combustion engine, but the steam turbine offered many advantages.

The economy of the turbine, and its ability to develop enormous powers in a comparatively small casing, it was remarked, were well-known. It had the further attraction of purely rotary movement and perfect balance. On the question of drive, it was pointed out that, in order to develop the power in the limitations of space, the turbine would have to run at 6,000 to 10,000 r.p.m., and obviously some kind of speed reduction device was needed. Two solutions had been tried, the electric drive, with generators and motors, and the gear drive. The first could be ruled out from the cost point of view, as well as from the questions of weight and complication. Gear drive was a possible solution and one that had achieved a fair success. Experimental turbines built in Britain, Germany and Sweden, had given decidedly encouraging results, and considerable development along this line was likely.

The possibilities of development in boiler practice lay in increased working pressure, alteration to a water-tube type, and improved methods of firing. The development of higher pressures would, by degrees, force an alteration in design owing to the unsuitability of the existing type to carry very high pressures. There were many arguments in favour of a change from existing design, and any alteration would be in the direction of the water-tube type, the advantages of which were—ability to withstand the highest pressures, more perfect circulation, quicker steaming, ability to deal with fluctuating demands, lighter weight both in material and water quantity carried, and greater elasticity in design.

London to the Cape by Rail.

The idea of constructing a railway tunnel beneath the English Channel, and thereby providing through rail connection between England and the mainland of Europe, is not a new one; but at long last there appears a distinct likelihood of this important work being sanctioned by the authorities on either side of the Channel. For years the subject has periodically been brought up for review, and now it has been revived in earnest. Until recently, the British War Office refused to sanction the plan on account of reasons associated with national defence. Now, with the changed situation brought about by the growth of the aeroplane activities and the long-range gun, it is recognised that the advantages to be derived from through rail transport would, by far, outweigh any possible disadvantages.

It is expected that, eventually, there will be constructed a two-track tunnel beneath the Channel, with electric traction and automatic signalling. From a point near Dover, the tunnel would run directly across the Channel to France, where connection would be afforded with the Northern Railway, and so on to Paris page 18 and the other European capitals. Trains could, if necessary, be operated at ten-minute intervals, and a business-man leaving London at 8 a.m. could have four or five hours in Paris and be back in London before midnight.

Concurrently with the proposals for a tunnel beneath the English Channel, there is at present being seriously considered a plan providing for the tunneling of the Straits of Gibraltar. By the construction of these two tunnels, through rail movement would become possible between England and Africa. With the completion of the Cape to Cairo line, and its North African branches, it would actually be possible for the traveller to journey from London to the Cape without change of carriage.

Just what the construction of a Channel tunnel would mean to the European traveller it is impossible to over-estimate. Travel between Britain and France is already on a very big scale, and, with the miseries of the Channel crossing removed, this business would undoubtedly grow to enormous proportions. This winter the Riviera resorts have been crowded with Britishers, improved train services operated by the Southern Railway of England and the French Northern and P.L.M. lines being well patronised.

Through Continental Services.

Typical trains in the Riviera service are the “Blue and Gold” Calais-Mediterranean express, and the through Limited from Boulogne. The first-named train leaves Calais at 2.40 p.m. daily, on arrival of the steamer running in connection with the 11 a.m. express from London. Paris is left at 7.55 p.m., and Nice reached at 11.45 a.m. next day, or, roughly, 24 hours after leaving London. The Boulogne - Riviera through Limited has a departure from Boulogne at 5.53 p.m., following the London departure at 2 p.m. It reaches Nice at 2.40 p.m. the following day. In addition to the rail services, through road motors are now being operated between Boulogne and the Riviera, with through bookings from London. The service is run twice weekly. Passengers leave Victoria Station, London, by the 9 a.m. train on Tuesdays and Fridays. On the Tuesday service they travel by way of Paris, Dijon, Lyons, and Avignon, reaching Nice in five days. Those leaving on Fridays take four days on the through run to Nice, passing through Paris, Fontainebleau, Sens, Avalon, Autun, Grenoble, Digny, Grasse and Cannes. The cost of the four days' journey is £16 16s., and of the five days' trip £18 10s. The coaches seat eleven passengers, and convey light luggage free of charge.

International travel across Europe has been immensely facilitated in recent years. In a paper read before the Railway Students' Association of the London School of Economics, Mr. F. A. Brant, of the Southern Railway, threw much light upon the difficulties associated with the running of long-distance trains across Europe, and upon the elaborate machinery which is brought into play to arrive at international timings for the leading through services.

In order to bring about suitable connections and through services, there meets, every year, a group of experts known as the European Time-table and Through Carriage Conference. The time-tables operate for twelve months from page 19 May 15th, and it is in October that changes are worked out and agreed upon, the conference being held each year in a different country. The conference has a plenary session, at which important topics, such as the 24-hour system for time-tables are settled, but the detailed work is carried out in sectional discussions, the agendas usually embracing up to three or four hundred subjects. Through running across Europe is greatly facilitated by reason of the fact that the passenger stock of all countries, except Spain and Russia, is constructed to a common scale, and is capable of passing from one railway system to another. The operation of trains like the Simplon-Orient Limited thus becomes possible. This typical long-distance service operates between Paris and Stamboul, eighteen railways being concerned. The journey occupies about 64 1/2 hours, all-steel cars of the International Sleeping Car Company being employed in the train's make-up.

Passenger Classification.

Passenger classifications in Europe have always been something of a puzzle. Here, at Home, two classes—first and third—are usual. Second class is now only employed to a very limited extent in certain suburban services. The British third-class is well known as providing a high standard of comfort, and the time is not far distant when the so-styled first-class will disappear, at any rate on all but the more important main line trains, where a Pullman surcharge will probably take the place of the additional fee at present levied for first-class accommodation.

Across the Channel, four classes of accommodation are often placed at the disposal of the traveller by rail, the fares graduating according to the degree of comfort provided. Extra charges, also, are levied in most instances for travel by fast train. Simplification of passenger classification is at present being aimed at in many lands, Germany being a leader in this endeavour. The German third and fourth classes have now been merged into a new third class. The second class provides accommodation similar to the British third class, and the first class covers luxury cars. The mileage rates of the three German classes, beginning with the cheapest class, are in the following ratio:—1:1.5:3. In other Continental countries the proportion of the fares of the most expensive class and those of the cheapest class varies, in general, between 2 and 2.5. Three main categories of passenger train are to-day operated in Germany, these being known respectively as fast trains (Schnellzuge), through trains (Eilzuge), and slow trains (Personenzuge).