THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

AND

JOURNAL OF THE COAL AND IRON TRADES.

Vol. OVIII.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1914.

No. 2810.

INDUSTRIAL LOCOMOTIVES.*

By J. W. HOBSON

It is the author’s intention to deal chiefly with such
types and sizes of locomotives as are of most interest
to the members of the institution, i.e., engines suitable
for duty in shipbuilding yards, marine works, iron and
steel works, about docks, collieries and staiths, and for
contractors’ purposes.

If the history of the locomotive be traced back to its
origin, it will be found that the earliest locomotives were
really for industrial purposes, viz., to haul coal from the

ce

Id

O

UJ

> >5000

H
9_____

itsnsT&sisBSssKsnunnssi

iinisar

Wheel Diameter in Inches.

Fig. 1.—Tractive Power Curves for Various Sizes of Cylinders and
Wheels and a Working Pressure of 160 lb. per sq. in.

CO
co
id
CC

iffi

or
id
Ol

co
Q

MB®

L®

111:

tCE

Ji

leap

lira

SI9B& BSB9 HNsl

IBWWR	SJU WOwS	Ww

wwtBlE Km S3? 4*3 hi»mEE EIE SCr
BBBSs EBH fS2 ES BE! tSu SB} eBB ESh BBshB} Rco
g*g «g ga	™°*e gSSE EE

BKOliuSlS

ffHgg Eg ggjggj gS-gg SSHn!g%
Bffluffi bW SB tlSftttB Sh Wft B8 B>S

iwmanBnwniggiaxnimimgainnniginraPKni
BBH8g»BraM BBKWPIBBWP BUS 4W HTgWB 8PI

Fig. 2.—Diagram showing Resistance to Traction in lb. per ton
on Gradients of 1 in 10 to 1 in 200.



CO 900
CO
o
t£.
0

njjji....

■
M
limit

MH

Iqn
alfflprai

TRACTIVE POWER «N POUNDS.

Fig. 3.—Diagram showing Gross Load in tons and Tractive Power
in lb. Required on Various Gradients.

mines to the water side. To the North belongs the
honour of being the birthplace of the first commercially
successful locomotive. It also took the leading part in
the early developments, as, following the attempts of
Trevithick about the year 1803—whose engines, how-

* From a paper read before the North-East Coast Insti-
tution of Engineers and Shipbuilders.

ever, never got beyond the experimental stage—and
Blenkinsop’s rack rail engine of 1812, William Hedley’s
famous “ Puffing Billy ” commenced work in May 1813,
on the tramway between Wylam Colliery and Leming-
' ton. This engine originally had four wheels with



smooth tyres, two vertical cylinders, a blast pipe, and
an iron boiler, with return flues, working at 501b. per
sq. in. It successfully hauled eight loaded wagons at a
speed of four to five miles per hour and completely
superseded horses. Owing to the weakness of the
X^ylam line, this engine was afterwards placed on eight
wheels, to be again restored to four wheels in 1830 when

the railway was relaid with edge rails. In passing, it is
worth noting that ‘ ‘ Puffing Billy ’ ’ must also have been
the first passenger locomotive, as local tradition informs
us that on pay Saturdays it hauled the trucks conveying
the miners and their wives from Wylam to Lemington,
at which place they embarked in wherries for Newcastle.
Great credit is due to Christopher Blackett for the
encouragement and support he gave to Hedley, and also
to Timothy Hackworth for the important part taken by
him in the production of this early locomotive.





The next engine of note was George Stephenson’s first
locomotive called the “ Blucher,” which was tried at
Killingworth on July 25, 1814. The local firms of R.
and W. Hawthorn and R. Stephenson were founded in
1817 and 1821 respectively, and from 1824 and onward
the main line and industrial locomotive were developed
simultaneously—the first-named firm alone remaining to
represent the locomotive building industry in this
locality of such engineering initiative and fame.

There are at the present day many coal and iron
companies with upwards of 30 such engines for hauling
minerals over their private lines and for shunting pur-
poses on their staiths, etc. Contractors use such loco-
motives for the construction of new and alterations to
existing railways, harbours, docks, and works. Gas
and electric supply companies, shipyards, foundries,
and, in fact, works of every description require small,
and in many cases, powerful engines for shunting work.
In some instances these locomatives are of special design
to suit limitations in height and width, and have even
be$n constructed with collapsible chimney and cab to
perihit passing through low bridges, under ships’
keels, etc.

Industrial locomotives perform work quite as impor-
tant as the larger engines on main lines, and, excepting
for special features, should be constructed on at least as
exacting a specification as main line engines. They
have to withstand continuous rough usage, and have
less frequent opportunities for overhaul and repairs.
There are as a rule no reserve engines, and generally
no systematic care and attention is meted out to these
“ faithful servants ” often employed day and night for