MR. HANDYSIDE'S INVENTION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 248, 19 October 1874, Page 4

MR. HANDYSIDE'S INVENTION.

It will be remembered that Mr H. Handyside some time since gave out that he had discovered a method whereby trains might be taken up a gradient of one in six. Mr Handyside went to England for the purpose of patenting his invention, and has since published an explanation of it in the form of a pamphlet, which is noticed by the Scientific American in the following terms: — We are indebted to Mr Henry Handyaide, of London, for a copy of a small publication entitled "Steep Gradients," containing a description of his newly invented method of surmounting steep railway grades, together with a state- j meot of its merits aod other facts relating to railways in general. Mr Handy side's invention consists in attaching a drum and traction rope to the bottom of the locomotive or tender. 1 When the train reaches the foot of a steep grade, the engine is uncoupled from the train, and runs up the grade, j paying out the rope, one end of which is attached to the train. On reaching the summit the locomotive is looked to j the track by means of a pair of griping j levers, steam is applied to the drum, the rope wound and the train drawn up. By the use of this simple and cheap attachment, Mr Handyside shows that Bny ordinary locomotive will readily draw the heaviest trains up grades of one foot io teD, or 528 feet to the mile, and he therefore proceeds to point out a few of the advantages that would result in railway construction by the adoption of bis plan of operation, among which are the following: — Saving in first cost of survey. Saving on embankments. Saving on face cuttings. Saving in the length of tunnete. Saving in the length and height of viaducts. Materially shortening all lines which have high land between their extremities. A corresponding saving in length of rails. Any locomotive capable of hauling a given weight up a gradient of say 1 in 50 to be capable of haulinjjjhe same load up linlo or even 1 io 8. A much lighter class of locomotive necessary. A corresponding reduction in weight of rails. Simplicity of construction, inexpensive, and not easily deranged. 1*668 friction and wear and tear on all steep ■ gradients, of say 1 in 10, than on the generality of gradients now in ordinary use. No break of gauge necessary, and applicable to any gauge. Especially applicable to tramways, which as feeder lines will often penetrate into hilly districts. The carrying power along the whole line not limited by the frequent occurrence of steep gradients. AU of these are important points in favor of the invention which will be readily appreciated by railway engineers and projectors. An application of steam to the towage of canal boats, somewhat analogous to the foregoing, was patented in this country last year, by 6. S. Olio. He uses a light steam tug carrying a rope drum on deck, one end of the tope to be attached to a train of boats. The tug steams rapidly ahead, paying out the rope, then drops pole anchors, and winds up the rope, drawing the boats 'along at a good speed. The tug then starts ahead, unreels the rope, and, before the boats have lost headway, begins to wind up the rope again. In thig;,way a small tug of light draught, burning but little fuel, may successfully tow" Several hundred tons of freight through " the canals, at the required average^ -Velocity of three miles per hour.- This method appears capable of being woiked out into a valuable system of canal navigation. It is worthy of careful attention aod encouragement.