A NEW STEAM MOTOR

Kumara Times, Issue 1152, 8 June 1880, Page 3

A NEW STEAM MOTOR

tAdelaide Register, May 7.] A-formal trial of the new steam car imported by Captaia Rowan for the Glenelg ■and South Coast Rail way Company -tobfe; planie ’ on Thursday, at thb reqiibst and in the presence of Mr Clarice, the manager of the line. There werd also present Mr C. E. Farrar and Mr GK.Chamief, C.E., 1 who watched the proceedings on behalf of Captaiii Rowan; :' The following were the tests to which the company’s manager required that the motor should be put:—(l.) ! To fun h distance of six miles without stoking or replenishing the fire with fresh fuel. (2.) To run eight m?.les without replenishing water-tank. (3.) Tractive power on a straight and level piece Of line, to be tested by attaching four passenger carriages and two If licks laden with stone; .total actual deadweight,,7B .tons lOctvt. (4.) To,run for .a spurt at twenty miles. ~ On the first test being applied, the inoto.r accomplisheh the six-mile journey with ease in 31'minutes 15 seconds, and stoking or the application of fresh ftiel.' The second teat resulted in a furi of 8| miles without replenishment,of tank, six inches of water; still remaining' at the termination of the .journey, the engine, condensing her steam thp: whole way,, nc, smoke or * steam being, visible.'. Too quantity nf fuel put on board at tho commencement of the trial Was 9Tlbi Queensland coke, supplied,.by the company, tiie .amount consumed being 571 b- fob - the' 8| miles fUil, or 6‘7H). per mile, or 3-31 b. per mile less than the contract limit for cdffctith ptioril The thud test wasapplied by rerabViiig tlje. motor frohi Wear and attaching it to a train made up ns reqhifed and above stated. To give tin idea of the severity of this' test it m\y W;fttated r that drib; of 'the rotlip-ivM

13 ton locomotive* had grout difficulty in bringing even u portion of this load out of the yard oh to the main line, and had to make two trips to bring the train together, in the course of which some of the couplings gave way under the strain in passing, round a; cuWe.; To the evident astonishment of the spectators,'the motor when .harnessed started off at once with her load of eighty tons, which she prcbeedM to haul along at a very fair pace indeed. The fourth trial, relative to the maximum speed, was equally successfully accomplished, and the required speed of twenty miles an hour obtained. All present expressed themselves highly satisfied with the manner in which each of the tests was complied with.