A COMBINED RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND ENGINE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3732, 2 July 1883, Page 4

A COMBINED RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND ENGINE.

The following description, from a Melbourne contemporary, of a new style of railway carriage, with engine combined, intended for use on the bush hues of Victoria, and which arrived recently from England, will interest those who favor the idea of constructing light lines of railway in this colony. The new carriage, which may fairly be called a steam omnibus, is an invention of Mr Rowan, brother of Captain Rowan, manager of the Australasian Electric Lighting Company, and is tho third of its class which has been introduced into these colonies, one being in use in Adelaide, and the other, although of a much lighter character than the one brought hero, being used on the tramways in Sydney. The engine which draws the carriage is of the vertical order, and is fitted with numerous water tubes, which enables steam to be got up very rapidly. The water is supplied from a small circular water tank, and the usual working pressure is 1301b. Tho engine possesses all the power of the ordinary locomotive, although it has one advantage—namely, that it docs not weigh half as much, and can draw a load of "fifty tons up an incline of 1 in 50. The wheels, Avhich are an adaption of the bogie principle, are so arranged that the engine can go round a curve of 150 ft radius with perfect case without fear of accident. As regards the carriage, it is divided into first and second-class compartments, twelve passengers being easily carried in the former and thirty in tho latter. Besides the compartments referred to there is a third or smaller one, intended for the guard or conductor, in which luggage can also be placed. At the end of the carriage is a small platform fenced in by ironwork, so that smokers can enjoy their " weed " without interfering with the comfort of those inside. The carriage is remarkably well fitted, the seats in the first-class being provided with neat blue cushions, and the second with cushions of a lighter material. The carriage was built by the Bristol Waggon Company, who havo already turned out several "others for use in various parts of the world. The carriage is admirably adapted for journeys on branch lines, where the traffic is not heavy ; but a turntable is necessary at each terminus, so as to allow the engine and carriage being reversed. It is urged in favor of this new carriage that the cost of working is very small, and that only two men, a driver and a guard, arc required to look after it.