THE ENGINE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 8 March 1909, Page 2

THE ENGINE.

The furnace opens out near the floor at the boiler side of the engine. In the Nelson engines the boiler is Sft long, and it burns about two tons of coal a day. Of course ths boiler is directly abovo the furnace, but this runs forward for about 10ft. The water boils away merrily, as needs it must, and the steam collects in the brass dome, which is situated on the top of most engines. The steam is collected here so that it becomes dry. "Wet" steam will not do the work half as well as the dry. A specially prepared pipe conveys the steam to the cylinder on the front of the engine at one side. Here the process is the 6ame as in all engines. The steam rushes in, presses the required piston down, other steam pushes it back, ancL"the figure works." The piston, as can Be seen on any engine, pushes the wheels around. When the steam has done its work it is not condensed again, as is the case on a steamer, but it escapes through the funnel. Now this is a very important item on an engine, for the rush of steam at one end of the engine causes a dranght of air, and the furnace is continually fanned. On occasions large lumps of coal begin dancing inside until the heat captures them.