From the top of the Liverpool tunnel to Manchester, with the exception of two inclined planes at Parnhill, (one ascending and the other descending at an inclination of one in ninety-six, and where some assistant power must be used,) there is no greater inclination than in the ratio of about one in eight hundred and thirty ; and since the advantage on the descending side will nearly coun terbalance the disadvantage in ascending so gradual a slope, the railway may be regarded, for practical purposes, as nearly horizontal. The rails at the mouth of the tunnel, at Edge Hill, are forty-six feet above the rails at the Manchester end of the line.
In the formation of the railway, there have been dug out of the different excavations, upwards of three millions of cubic yards of stone, clay, and soil; which is equal to, at least, four millions of tons After mature consideration of the reports and calculations of various engineers, appointed to consider the most eligible description of for the Manchester and Liverpool railroad, they determined upon preferring locomotive to fixed engines, provided the former could be made sufficiently powerful, and at the same time not of so great a weight as to injure the stability of the rails, i and that would not emit smoke, which is one of the provisions of the Railway Act. With the view also to obtain, if possible, an engine of improved con struction, a public reward was offered by the directors in April 1829, for the best locomotive engine, subject to•certain stipulations and conditions, which may be thus briefly stated : viz. to consume its own smoke : to be capable of drawing after three times its own weight, at ten miles an hour, and have not exceeding 501bs pressure upon the square inch on the boiler : two safety valves, one locked up : engine and boiler to be supported on springs, and rest on six wheels if it should exceed 4} tons : height to top of chimney not more than 15 feet : weight, including water in boiler, not to exceed 6 tons ; but preferred if of less weight : boiler, &c., proved to bear three times its working pressure : Rressure gauge provided: cost of machine to be not more than 5501.
On the day appointed, the following engines were entered for trial for the prize ; and the judges appointed to decide were, Mr. Nicholas Wood, of Killing.
worth, (the eminent writer upon railways, to whose labours we stand much ifidebted in this article); Mr. Rastrick, of Stourbridge, and Mr. Kennedy, of Manchester, who made judicious arrangement,.
The Rocket Steam locomotive, by Mr. Robert Stevenson.
The Novelty ditto by Messrs. Braithwaite & Erricson.
..., The Sans Pareil ditto by Mr. Timothy Hackworth.
The Perseverance ditto by Mr. Burstall of Edinburgh.
The Cyelopede Horse locomotive, by Mr. Brandreth, of Liverpool
The trial, as before mentioned, took place on the level at Rainhill. Several days Were employed in getting them into the beet working condition for the contest.
' The rate of performance of this engine was found by the judges to be 70 miles in about five hours, or 14 miles per hour ; with an evaporation of 114 gallons per hour, and a consumption of coke of 2171bs. per hour. The greatest velocity attained was on the last eastward trip, the 1 mile being accomplished in 3' 44" which is at the rate of 24e miles per hour.
On the following day the next engine brought up to the starting post was the Sans Pareil, but on weighing, it was found to exceed, the condition of 41 tons upon four wheels, therefore could not strictly compete for the prize. Never theless, it underwent a trial of its powers, in order that the Directors might be acquainted with its merits.
In making the eighth trip on the running ground, the pump that supplied the Water to the boiler became disordered in its action, by which the level of the Water in the boiler became reduced below the fire tube, and the leader plug, employed as a safety valve, was melted, and put an end to the experiment. But as far as the experiment was conducted, which extended to 271 miles, the performance was creditable, being 19/ tons conveyed at the rate of 15 miles per hour. The greatest velocity attained was in the fifth trip; the 14 mile being traversed in 3' 59", which is at the rate 221 miles per hour. The consumption of the coke in this engine was being at the rate of 692Ibs per hour; which was found to be owing to the draft through the fire-place being so powerful, as to blow red hot cinders out of the chimney shaft.
The Novelty, which was not tried until the 10th, owing'to unavoidable cir eumstances, carried its own water and fuel ; and, therefore, to place it on the same footing as the other engines, the same proportion of useful load was assigned to it when compared to the engine, as the useful loads taken by the other engines have to their weight. The power and its load were accordingly as follow :— In the early part of the trial with this engine, the water supply-pipe burst, and put an end to the experiment for that day. Two or three days afterwards the trial was renewed, but another :unfortunate accident (that of one of the joints of the boiler giving way) terminated the proceedings, at the desire of Mr. Erricson, who voluntarily withdrew his carriage from the contest. The performance of the engine, while it lasted, indicated very excellent results; the design, arrangement, and execution of the work, were likewise highly creditable to the genius and talent of the proprietors.