The author has been led to describe this engine fully on account of the
numerous ingenious appliances which have been adopted in its design. In a
trial trip on October 3, 1883, from Brighton to London Bridge and back,
with an average load of 191/2 coaches, or 285 tons gross, and with a speed
of 45 miles per hour, the consumption of coal was 31 lb. per train mile,
evaporating 8.45 lb. of water per pound of coal, and with as much as 1,100
indicated horse-power at one portion of the run. The finish and painting
of these engines is well considered, but the large coupled wheels give a
very high shouldered appearance, and as a type they are not nearly as
handsome as the single engines previously described.
From the Brighton to the South-Western Railway is but a step; but here a
totally different practice obtains to that adopted on most lines, all the
passenger engines having outside cylinders, where they are more exposed to
damage in case of accident, and, from being less protected, there is more
condensation of steam, while the width between the cylinders tends to make
an unsteady running engine at high speeds, unless the balancing is
perfect; but the costly crank axle, with its risk of fracture, is avoided,
and the center of gravity of the boiler may be consequently lowered, while
larger cylinders may be employed.
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