COMPETITIVE TRIAL OF ENGINES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4589, 4 December 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

COMPETITIVE TRIAL OF ENGINES.

(From the Ayi\) An interesting experiment has just been completed on the Victorian Government lines between a bogie engine belonging to the Hobson’s Bay Kailway Company and three engines of the same calibre on the Victorian railways. The advantages claimed for the bogie belonging to the Hobson’s Bay Company are that it sweeps round curves and over crossing-points very smoothly, while the weight is distributed over eight wheels instead of six ; that is, there are three tons on a wheel instead of four. In this latter respect there can be no doubt about the advantages of the eight-wheeled engines for light lines. Mr. Woods ordered a competitive trial to be made between the twp engines, having first obtained the concurrence of°the Melbourne and Hobson’s Bay United Kailway Company’s directors. The bogie was cramped over on rails from Flinders-street to Spencer-street, the cost of. removal being £SO. It should be here stated that the Hobson’s Bay engine is a single bogie not a double bogie, like Fairlie's engine. The four;lateral wheels on which the pistons act are coupled and work on a rigid base. The four anterior wheels work on a bogie. The company kept their own driver, fireman, and; cleaner on, the engine during the trial. The ground chosen for the trial was between Melbourne and Woodend, where the gradients vary from level ground to lin 50. The first competitor pitted against the bogie was Ho. IQO, built at Williamstown, a 27-ton engine, with four coupled and two leading wheels. -, -This engine has been running on the North-Eastern line, and when taken to that road it was said she would not do the heavy work required of her, but she has been doing the haulage ever since in a most satisfactory manner. , _ No. 100 ■ has' cylinders one inch greater in diameter thaii the, Hobson’s Bay bogie, and on this account had a penalty imposed by her load being increased 1-1 per cent. When the trial came off. No. 100 beat the bogie in tractive power, in speed, and economy of fuel. It was then suggested that a fairer trial would be between the; bogie and au engine -with outside cylinders. l No. 100 was then sent back to her own road, and No. 114, driven by Crabtree, was brought down to Maryborough, and it was on the return of that engine fronl her trial that she met with the ill-fated accident on Friday week. The trial between No. 114 and 4he bogie resulted, as far as can be ascertained, in a tie. A third trial was made between the bogie and a saddle-backed tank engine on the Williamstown line. This experiment showed a saving of fuel in the credit of. the Government ; engine^—the saddle-back tank locomotive. ' ■