i^ LOCAL INDUSTRY.

Southland Times, Issue 1105, 6 August 1869, Page 5

i^ LOCAL INDUSTRY.

THEPBOYDJCIALLOCOMOTITE DEPART '••■■;■;.. MENT. On passing through the Railway Station lately, we were agreeably surprised to hear that the new machinery furnished by Messrs Hudswell and Clarke, of Leeds, which had arrived from England by the ship "Phineas Pendleton," had been erected in the locomotive fitting and repairing workshop, and was already at the work. Desirous of witnessing full different operations, we applied for permission "td walk through the new shop, which was immediately granted, and on entering found ourselves in a lofty building about 50ft, long by 40ft. wide, And

about 25ft. high. From the floor, composed of solid beams 8 inches square, to the roof, every portion of the building appears solid and compact, and well fitted to stand the vibration that will be necessar'ly consequent on the action of so mauy different machines as can be worked at the same time in the building. At about 18ft. from the ground a heavy timber framework runs the entire length of the building, parallel to, and under which, suspended by metal hangers, runs a line of polished shafting, with several drums, one opposite each machine. On this shafting the power is received direct from the engine, and transmitted by the drums mentioned to pulleys connected with each machine by means of leather belting. The steam engine is the most I perfect of its kind, and the small space occupied by it would strongly recommend its adoption in factories, &c, where the economising of space is an object. It is an inverted cylinder engine, supplied with one of Green's patent boi'e's, and is contained on a space of 6fb. x sft., including the fly-wheel pit. It is six horse-power nominal, and intended to work to 80 pounds the square inch, that is to twelve or fou^een horse power ; but at the time of our visit working at a pressure of 451bs. Although standing close to the engine scarcely any noise was perceptible, and 1 the friction in. the working parts seems to have been reduce*? to a minimum. ' This engine, with a very trifling consumption of fuel, either wood or coal, is I capable of driving any, or all of the machines erected ia the shop, viz., a double geared 6ft. wheel lathe ; a 12in. screw cutting lathe on a 12 feet bed ; a plaining machine capable of planing work, 12ft. x 3£ft- * 3ft.; a radial drilling machine and a 4ft. grindstone. The large wheel lathe is a powerfut and finely finished piece of machinery by Sheppard, Hill and Co., of Leeds, and at the time of our visit the tires of a pair of locomotive wheels were bemg tuijted, having run, as we were informed, some 23,000 miles without repairs. This machine consists of several large castings ; one, the bed plate, alone weighing about 5 tons ; seven foot faceplate ; the slide rest and a great variety of cones and cog wheels and all manner of intricate contrivances for regulating the feed motion of the cutting tool when at work. The battered edge of the wheel tire was being cut through, and turned off ia spiral strings ranging from iin. to Jin. in thickness, and^ with about as much apparent we ; »ht on the tool as if thearticle operated on was a piece of wood. The lathe is in. ended specially for turning and re"acing wheel tires, turning and finishing heavy axles, and facing aod polishing surfaces of metal up to 6ft. in diameter. On the other side of the engine pit (which runs through the centre of the shop longitudinal^ and which may be termed the " hospital branch " of the establishment, as tlnther are brought locomotives requiring broken limbs to be set up) stands a compact and highly finished, " Radial Drilling Machine," by Hudawell and Clarke, one of the newest patterns, and furnished with all the latest improvements. This description of drill is, we are informed, tbe most generally applicable, and therefore the most useful. Its superiority over the vertical drill in general use cons ; sts chiefly in this, that it can be s3t to one or more different parts of a piece of work, or even Beveral pieces of work, without disturbing their position on the table. The drill is attached to the end of a revolving arm or jib, whicb can be brought ovec any portioa of the tab'e attached to the machine, and in which the upright pillar carrying the jib at right angles, is fixed. This machine is used for boring and drilling holes in all descriptions of metal, iron, brass, and copper, usually connected with locomotives or rolling stock, and for general purposes ; and from the superiority and neatness with which it performs its allotted task renders it a valuable acquisition in a fitting shop. Adjoining this, on the same side of the building, is the " Slide and Screw Cutting Lathe," used principally for turning all medium sized and small rcund shafting and other work, facing medium surfaces, and cutting screws of every kind, thickness, and of any length, from 1 inch to 12ft. A crank pin for one of the locomotives was being turned in this lathe durJDqr the time of our visit, and it was really a treat to see the accuracy of the performance. Nearly all the working parts of a locomotive can be made in this lathe, so that it may be said to be the most generally useful machine iv the shop. Next in position stands a large planing machine, used for smoothing off and giving a true and level face to all slide work and other metal surfaces requiring careful finish . Large surfaces can be much more expeditiously and economically fin- ; ished in the p'aning machine than in I the slide lathe, from the peculiar adapta- 1 tionof the table of the machine to the work to be done. Alongside the wheel lathe, and standing bet ween it and the engine, stands the grindstone, an enormous affair in an iron trough, driven by a belt andpuUey. Here the different tools are ground as they frequently require it, a great velocity being necessary to make an impression on the high temperament of the steel. There is much in the establishment well worth seeing, and much to be learned even during the short period we were in it; and we feel convinced that our courteous and intelligent guide, Mr Conyers, under whose direction a ll , tbe machinery above alluded to has been erected, and who supervises the work done in' the shop, will feel much pleasure in shewing any of our readers over the Provincial Railway Workshop.