PORT CHALMERS RAILWAY.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2762, 23 December 1871, Page 2

PORT CHALMERS RAILWAY.

By the mail the Press received a report of a recent visit by a party of professional and other gentlemen to Bristol, for the purpose of inspecting a new double-bogie engine and light rolling stock, consti noted after a design by Mr Fairlie. The result of this visit is especially interesting to us, as certain rolling stock which was exhibited to run upon a 3ft. Gin. guage was intended for the Dunedin and Tort Chalmers line. The wagons to be used on this line are 14ft. Gin. long and 7ft. by inside measurement. Their sides are 2ft. Gin. high ; they weigh 2 tons 2 cwt., and will carry 7 tons. The covered goods wagons are 14ft. Gin. long, 7ft. wide, Oft. high, and weigh 2 tons 15 cwt. The tirst-cla-'s carriage is 19ft. Gin. long, and 7ft. Gin. wide. It is divided into three equal compartments, each with seats for eight persons, and the height from door to roof in the centre is 6ft. Sin. The roof is lined over the seats with thin mahogany, and over the centre with bird's-eye maple, and the lamp is wholly above the roof level, counter-sunk, so to speak, within a polished reflector, calculated to light up the whole interior and to render reading possible. The general trimmings and decorations of the interior are very tasteful and pretty. The second-class carnage is ISft. Gin. in length, but of the same width and height as the first-class, and divided in the same manner, although each of its compartments will accommodate ten persons. The weight of the first-class carriage is 3001bs. ; and that of the second-class 2321ba. for each scat. The coupling introduced into these carriages are of a novel kind, and are thus described Beneath the frame of each carriage there is an iron drawbar, and the drawbars of adjacent carriages arc coupled by a single link. Every carriage is furnished at bo in cuds with a single central buffer, presenting a convex surface, and these buffers are brought almost into contact. Each buffer is furnished with a coiled spring, and has about an inch of play, the general result being that the closeuc. s of the coupling and the continuity of the drawbar lender the train of carriages movable as a single mass, and not as a succession of detached portions, which may be knocked, about almost independently of each other. The passage of the united train round curve* is provided for in the mode of attachment of the drawbar under each carriage, and the closeness of the coupling has rendered neces-

sary a total departure from the ordinary inode of fastening. In the new carriage the drawbar terminates in a sort of expanding cup or receptacle, comparable to a fi.nnel, only square instead of circular. Through the sides of this receptacle a horizontal bolt passes, and can bo moved in or out by a lever and bell crank, working from about the middle of the carriage. When two carriages are to be joined, a single iron link, about eight inches in length, is put into the receptacle of one of them, and the bolt is shot through it. The carriage, with the link projecting, is moved up to its yoke-fellow, and the free end of the link enters the receptacle of the second carriage, where it also is secured by shooting the horizontal bolt. The expanding character of the receptacle secures the entrance of the Jink, if it should drop a little, or if the carriage to which it is attached should be sunk upon its springs by a heavy load to a slightly lower level than the other one. The fastening is effected instantaneously by a single movement of the lever as the carriages come into position, and all danger to those engaged in the work is thus obviated. On the same occasion tl.e bogie engine was tried. It went round curves of 2A chains with the greatest facility, the deflection of the centre of the leading platform from the end of the boiler amounting to 14 inches.