MR. VIGNOLES' SYSTEM OF LONGITUDI

NAL TIMBERS FOR THE UPPER WORKS
OF RAILWAYS.

Report from Chas. Vignoles, Esq., C. E., to the Directors of the Midland Counties Railway.

Gentlemen, I have in a former Report submitted to you, and I beg again to urge the propriety and policy of the Directors taking into their most serious consideration, the mode of executing the upper works of the railway in a more economical, and, in my judgment, in a better manner than the method adopted on the London and Birmingham Railway, and some of the other principal lines now in course of construction-I mean the adoption of a railway-bar of a peculiarly strong section, though lighter than usual, to be laid upon half baulks of Kyanised timber, longitudinally placed and supporting the rail throughout its entire length without chairs, or with chairs at the joints only, the rail being nailed or spiked down on the timber.

I have already explained that the motion of the trains on a railway thus laid will be much easier, and indeed I believe this is admitted on all hands; such a line will be much more cheaply kept in repair, and vastly less damage from concussion and vibration will be sustained by the engines and carriages, and by the road itself.

I have been studying this subject at every available moment for a long time, and, from the experience of eighteen months on the Dublin and Kingstown line of the longitudinal timbers, I am more and more convinced that the true principle of forming the upper works of a railway is by placing the rails sustained throughout the entire length on wood-and as soon as it is resolved to sustain the rail in this manner throughout, it follows as a consequence that castiron rails may at once be thus placed in

preference to, or, at all events, in competition with wrought-iron rails.

The chief objection against the castiron rail has ever been the number of joints, but I have ascertained that rails of the pattern I recommend, can be cast with accuracy in lengths of twelve feet; indeed, I have made a contract for a quantity to be delivered free from all warp; and this admitted, there are se veral advantages which cast-iron possesses over wrought-iron, that will justify its adoption for railway-bars sustained throughout on longitudinal timbers in the manner I propose; the absence of all lamination on the bearing surface, and the bringing of the manufacturers of wrought and cast-iron into greater competition for the supply of Railway Companies, are each important features in the case.

If it would be any argument to gentlemen who are quite capable of exercising their own judgment, I should say that two or three Railway Companies, for whom I am engineer, and who are about to apply to Parliament for incorporation in the next sessions, have resolved to adopt the principle of laying rails on baulks of timber, and I shall equally recommend it to several other Companies for whom I am concerned as principal or as consulting-engineer.

The accompanying statement will show the manner in which the saving is effected; I have taken great pains to price every thing as fairly as possible, and I am persuaded that for stone blocks and ballasting, the price on many parts of the Midland Counties Railway will exceed what I have estimated; from the great distance of land-carriage of the stone, and the want of ballasting materials in the district, I am indeed of opinion that the ultimate saving will be for this Company 2,000. per mile-and loaking to the system extending to other parts of the country, I venture to assert that in

the alluvial districts of England the difference will often amount to more.

The saving of 2,000l. per mile upon the whole sixty miles authorised for construction under the Company's Act is no less than 120,0007.-an item much too large to be put aside without the greatest consideration from the Directors.

Looking at the question in the most discouraging light, little or no loss can accrue to the Company from the adoption of the measure-admitting the necessity of renewing the timber every seven years, the total cost at the end of twenty years will scarcely be more than the present positive outlay, and we have a right to claim credit for compound interest on the saving of first capital-besides, blocks and chairs break and require renewing, and there can be no question of the much greater annual economy of keeping such a line as I propose in repair, and the less destructive effect on the trains.

The preference which might be made of wrought-iron over cast-iron cannot interfere with a principle which rests solely on the placing a continuous support of timber below the rail, dispensing with the use of chairs.

The substitution of wrought-iron would however allow a lighter rail, but with wrought-iron the amount of saving would be from 2007. to 4007. per mile less than by adopting cast-iron.

In the subsequent comparison I have stated the expense of the railway laid on stone blocks and also on sleepers; I have a right to consider the whole as laid on blocks, and I calculate as if this were done in the first instance; but practically the estimate will be increased, inasmuch as sleepers are laid on embankments with the avowed intention of being replaced after a few years by blocks.

The scantling of timber I have selected has been fixed by having determined the economy which would arise by using

Brack or second Memel timber, which can be procured in baulks of nearly equal section throughout, and verying very little more than from about 13 to 14 inches square. The annexed diagram will show the manner in which this baulk would be cut without waste into four pieces, each 9 inches wide by 4 inches deep, marked 1-2-3-4, leaving the piece in the corner to be sawn up, to form gauge or tie-pieces.

In selecting these tie-pieces of timber, I have considered that they come in almost for nothing, but if an equal economy in the sawing up of the timber can be otherwise obtained, wrought-iron rods of small diameter might be placed every three or four yards, solely for the purpose of keeping the railway track in gauge.

The rail I have selected will weigh in cast-iron about 48lbs. per lineal yard. If of wrought-iron it would be reduced (by diminishing the thickness of the lower bearing) to 421hs. per yard. The annexed diagram exhibits a full-sized sec tion of the rail, having a base of 5 inches, and the button or upper web as large as that of the heaviest rails yet made, while the stiffness of the whole is remarkable,

The timber being laid on its broadest side, the rail will be spiked or nailed down thereupon, the gauge of the track between the two rails being preserved by the 2-inch tie-pieces 7 feet 6 inches long, being let into the longitudinal timbers at intervals of 7 feet.

The statement as follows is drawn up as the comparative estimate of the cost of the present mode of laying rails on stone blocks and on wood sleepers, and of the proposed method for laying the railway,

on the line of the Midland Counties Railway, and which with the necessary addition for the extra price of materials and extra carriage, may serve for most of the railways throughout Great Britain and Ireland.

.....

Per Mile of Double Tracking.

£5666 5456

5192

4664

3879

3762

3637

3432

It will thus be manifest that there is an economy varying from 8007. to 22007. per mile, and that the most disadvantageous comparison of the proposed with the present system, exhibits a saving in its faYour equal to once wholly removing the longitudinal timbers, while taking the 42lbs. wrought iron rail, which, if wroughtiron should be preferred, I recommend as quite sufficient, and comparing it with first cost of a railway wholly laid on stone blocks, there is an actual saving of 18001. per mile, or comparing it with a railway laid two-thirds on stone and one-third on larch sleepers, there is a positive saving of upwards of 1500 per mile in the first

instance, and an ultimate saving of full 20001 per mile.

I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your very obedient servant,
CHARLES VIGNOLES, Engineer.

4, Trafalgar-square, London, Nov. 25, 1836.

Explanation of the Engravings.

Fig. 1 is a diagram of a Memel baulk, 13 to 14 inches, sawn into railway Scantlings. Fig. 2, section of a railwaybar, adapted to longitudinal timbers of this description; weight in wrought-iron 42lbs. per yard. Figs. 3 and 4, plan and section of the railway as laid.

Sir, I fear many of your readers are getting pretty well tired of the insurance question; however, there are a few points in the last two letters of P. R. and FIREFURY, upon which I must trouble you

with a few remarks.

These writers both profess to be of the σε commonalty," knowing but little about these matters, and affect to defer to my "knowledge and experience;" yet, they will know best after all. P. R. (p. 217,) says, "there is no analogy in the case of the Insurance-Companies and that of a private individual;" what compose these companies but private individuals? Does the mere joining of one or more persons in trade make them cease to be private individuals? Certainly not.

P. R. further argues, that "by taking upon themselves the administration of a fire-police, the companies tacitly gua rantee protection to the insurers." From this sentence it would appear that it is

the insurers who now complain; 'tis no such thing. Neither have the InsuranceCompanies taken upon themselves the administration of a fire-police; they have never possessed the authority, nor incurred the responsibility of such an office. Nor can such a responsibility ever be fixed upon them.

Without attempting to show the fallacy of the argument set up by P. R. with reference to the Gas and Water Companies, suffice it to say the cases are not parallel. The municipal fire-establish. ments may aptly be compared with those companies, but not the servants of the fire-offices.

P. R. has made one mistake at which I am very much surprised, as the opportunity of ascertaining the truth is freely open to every body, and putting forward such a statement as the following, argues much carelessness in looking round for

information relative to the question now at issue.

P. R. tells us that the Insurance-Companies incur a risk so enormous, that they are utterly unable to realise any thing like the amount, should they be called upon to do so. In my last communication I stated the amount of property standing at the risk of the London fireoffices to be nearly four millions sterling. Now the real and invested capital of those offices is well known to be considerably above three times that amount; how can P. R. then venture to make such a statement?

The capital of most of the InsuranceCompanies, and the amount of insurances actually effected, are continually before the public, and very little trouble is re quisite for obtaining an accurate knowledge of this branch of the subject.

Fire-Fury (p. 227,) bursts forth with the startling announcement that "facts are stubborn things," and so he will most likely find them ere this discussion ends. With respect to the one he has sent for my digestion, my appetite's so good it scorns such trifles, and having well smoked, it, I return the savory morsel for his own devouring. Fire-Fury being fairly beaten out of London-finding that the insurers do not, and that the uninsured have no right to complain; that the public will not entertain his question -he has adjourned the discussion to Manchester. Proceed we there to meet him, being quite as much at home in the fire-department at Manchester as in Lon

don.

Perhaps Manchester is a very eligible town for our purpose, seeing that the PUBLIC and not the Insurance-Companies, afford the required protection, by means of an efficient fire-police.

I should have been much better pleased had Fire-Fury in common fairness have given the whole description (not a long one,) of "the destructive fire at Messrs. Faulkner and Owen's cotton factory," in lieu of the garbled extract he has endeavoured to turn to his purpose. In the first place, however, we will exhibit one small dose to Fire-Fury, in the shape of a fact. Being one of "the commonalty," of course he cannot know till he is told, that the Manchester town-engines (at least, three of them), which he calls "useless_squirts," are twice as powerful as our London engines; each of them

being equal in power to Braithwaite's steam fire-engine! So much for fact.

Because the misguided persons, whom Fire-Fury designates as ""scoundrels," and "the cold-blooded vindictive mob," showed none of the usual disposition to aid the firemen, he imagines a steam fire-engine would have made all right in no time.

This, however, is another sad mistake; in the present instance it is true, after the fire had been kindled, the crowd were content to stand neuter while the destroying element and the firemen contended for the mastery. Fire-Fury does notbut the Manchester paper does—tell us that the fire was stopped in its progress by Mr. Rose and his brave firemen (with the aid of their " useless squirts"), maugre the help of the mob; thereby saving considerable property, which, says FireFury," the steam fire-engine would have done without aid from any one."

But suppose, good Fury, that this same unruly mob had not been pleased to allow a steam fire engine to put out a fire which they, or some one of them, had taken the trouble to kindle; they have cut one gash in the suction-pipe of the steam fire-engine, and farewell to its miraculous powers.

The fact is, that it is exceedingly dif ficult, if not quite impossible, to guard effectually against calamities arising out of the bad blood generated by longprotracted differences between masters and their workmen; but as far as the cant of the "House-burning system" is concerned, Manchester had better be let alone; protected as it is, by a wellorganised fire-police, provided with the most powerful engines at present in use, and suffering a smaller loss by fire annually, in proportion to its extent and the property it contains, than almost any other town in England.

Methinks Fire-Fury smells something of this, for in his concluding paragraph he skips back to London and flounders among the Insurance-Companies once more. I pray you, gentle Fury, discri minate between Manchester, where the public provide against the spread of fires, and London, where every species of prevention is laughed to scorn, and every mode of suppression disregarded, so far as the public are concerned. P. R. may well call this an appalling fact.

Many a fire in this metropolis and its