MR ASHCROFT'S RAILWAY LIFT

Otago Witness, Issue 1911, 6 July 1888, Page 27

MR ASHCROFT'S RAILWAY LIFT

On Saturday afternoon, a number of gentlemen attended at the premises of Mr R. B. Denniston in Stuart street, for tho puspose of seeing in operation a model of Mr George Ashcroft's invention for working railways in hilly districts. Among those present were Messrs E. R. Ussher (£.E.), N. Y. A. Wales, G. L. Denniston, B. Hallenstein, M. Jael, L. O. Beal, Cooke (C.E.), Black (Public Works Department), nnd others. Tha invention might properly be called a railway iift, as the plan is, in order to avoid the heavy expense of cutting or tunnelling for practicable grades, to run the train on to a kind of bridge which is then lifted bodily up the slope of a hill, however steep, until it joins the line at a higher level. Bold as such an idea looks upon paper, the admirable working model shown by Mr Ashcroft on Saturday weat far to convince the visitors of its practicability. The model is constructed on the scale ofEfin to a foot, and renders perfectly plain the whole working of the system. It is a hydraulic lift, and the power is provided by means of an accumulator which may be worked either by steam, water, or power conveyed by electricity, just as the circumstances of the case render advisable. In the model Mr Ashcroft raisss his accumulator by means of a little hand pump which is amply sufficient to keep it floating; that, of course, is the one thing necessary to be done. When the accumulator is up tbe power is always there ready to work the bridge lift at any moment. The water is drawn from the accumulator by means of suitable pipes into hydraulic cylinders, which are furnished with proper rams and connections attaching them to the bridge. This bridge lies, so to speak, alongside the hill up which it has to travel, and the slope of the hill is laid with rails running vertically up the face. The bridge travels on wheels up this steep line of railway until it reaches the upper level. The rails up which the model bridge travelled on Saturday are laid at an angle of about 60 degrees, but this is, of oourse, considerably steeper than most hills that would have to be negotiated. The mo«t general angle would probably be about 45 degrees. As regards the practical working of the lift, it is exceedingly simple, and would probably be dove by the guard of the train. Engine and carriages having run upon the bridge, all that has to be dove is to touch a valve, and the bridge travels sideways up the hill at any required speed. When the upper level is reached the bridge touches a catch, which instantly closes the valve, and bridge and train become stationary. The stopping, therefore, is done quite automatically. Lowering is effected by a reversal of the process, and the heaviest train can be stopped instantaneously at any point of the ascent or descent. This was amply proved in the working model. The saving effected by this plan at such places as the Rimutaka, for instance, would be enormous, and Mr Ashcroft calculates that its adoption would put a very big sum into the pockets of the Midland Company. The invention, though primarily intended for railway purposes, is also applicable on a smaller scale to steep mountain roads, where savings can be effected by concentrating the grades. To lift, say, 20 tons of waggons, horses, goods, &c , would only require a very small expense indeed, perhaps one or two horse power. It ,is also applicable to mining districts such as Macetown, and would save large sums in packing. . On such a scale the plant would be comparatively inexpensive, both in first cost and in ' working, while the sytem would save a great deal in road making and maintenance. His Excellency Sir William Jervois and Major-general Schaw have bothinspeoted Mr Aehcroffc's model, and were,, by all accounts, very favourably impressed wsh' On Saturday afternoQn Mr ' A^hqroff 'iffin '

showed a large model ef his quartz crushing machine, which he has now perfected. The model, however, is in an unfinished state, and will not he ready for a week. It will work by hand, and is capable of crushing over lewt of quartz per hour. If is very suitable for prospecting purposes, and will cost about £40. ; The finished machines, 5f b diameter, will cosk £250, and will irrush about 30cic t per hour. Mr Ashcroft has several in » partly finished state. He claims for his intention that it crushes cheaper and more thoroughly than the stampers, and that the first cost and cost of erection are far less. Mt Ashcroft will be glad to show any person interested his inventions during the week.