House of Commons, Great Britain

“ When you state the weight of 35 cwt, you mean the weight of the travelling Carriage alone, without the weight of the Passengers, or the weight of fuel and water?—Yes, just so. I think it is possible to reduce the weight considerably as improvements go on; I have a Carriage now building which I do not expect will weigh above five cwt., which I expected to do the work of about one horse, and carry two or three people; speed is a particular object, and it is not intended to carry anything more than light parcels. ”

“ I mean the Carriage itself, weight for weight. I have taken the loss of iron from the tires of the wheels, and compared it with that of the loss from other carriages running the same number of miles, and I found the loss the same nearly.
Do you find that the wheel never slides in the turn?—If it does, it is either imperfect or the fault of the engineer; if the steam is wire-drawn (using the technical term) it never does so; if the steam is laid on suddenly on the Engines, it acts like a percussion, and affects the wheels as if struck with a hammer ”

“ What is the greatest weight which you conceive your Steam Carriages could draw after them on a level road, at the rate of four miles an hour, the Carriage weighing two tons?—Every 10 cwt in the Engine would draw what one horse could draw, so that two tons would draw as much as four horses. ”

“ Can you deliver in to the Committee a detailed estimate of the expence of running a Steam Coach, and one of running an ordinary coach?—Yes, I will prepare them.
At what rate do you suppose it would be safe to run Steam Carriages on the public roads?—I have run them safely eighteen and twenty miles an hour; but twelve miles an hour is perfectly safe and practicable; the rate will be determined by practice principally; in directing the carriage at present there is no difficulty or danger in guiding the carriage at this rate. ”

“ I have previously stated that I have had horses weighed, and found the average about 10 cwt. each horse; therefore, if a Steam Engine weighs 10 cwt. it should pay only as one horse when it passes through not drawing, and as one horse drawing when it has any thing attached to it; a 10 cwt. Steam Engine cannot propel more than one horse can draw; therefore the weight drawn cannot exceed a certain quantity. If the weight of the Engine exceeds 10 cwt and not 20, it should pay as two horses; if it exceeds 20 and not 80, it should pay as three horses ”

“ The difference between the wear and tear of tires and horse shoes on the roads in the neighbourhood of London are in the proportions of about three-fourths on the shoes, and one-fourth on the tires; but in London, over the streets, about seven-eighths and one-eighth. ”

“ When you attach the second wheel, is the increased power owing to the more favourable situation of the cranks?—The power of the Engine remains the same, but the application of it is doubled by friction. ”

“ What is the length of the stroke of your cylinder?—I think 16 to 18 inches; the crank is half that. I may state here, that I have had accidents of breaking the crank two or three times during my experiments; the last crank was broken in consequence of going through some rough stones laid unusually thick. I understand as much as 18 inches deep.
What do you anticipate will be the most frequent accident which will happen to your drawing machines?—I should say the derangement of the pumps is most likely to occur, in consequence of which the Carriage would merely stop. ”

“ What is the diameter of the tubes of your boiler?—We make them from half an inch to two inches the best size. I think, is an inch diameter.
To what pressure per square inch do you prove them?—To about 800 lbs.; I think they would bear 2,000 lbs.
What is the greatest pressure they would bear?—It is impossible to say. I have never been able to hurst one when well made, when lapped and welded. What is the average pressure on the boiler per square inch, in your ordinary rate of travelling? About 70 lbs. ”

“ I should observe, ran to Barnet, and went up all the hills to Barnet, in 1827, with one wheel only attached to the axle, and was run for about eighteen months experimentally in the neighbourhood of London; from these experiments showing that one wheel was sufficient to propel the Carriage, and the Carriage being at the same time reduced two-thirds in weight, it was thought desirable to draw another Carriage, instead of to carry on the same ”

“ Is there not a waste of fuel when you work on the lift?—It will be in proportion to the escape of steam from the safety-valve; the pressure on the boiler is 70 lbs.; on the Engine frequently it does not exceed 20 lbs, to an inch ”

“ Have you used your Carriages on pavements?—Yes; never to run continually on a pavement, but to run in and out of towns.
Do they run easier on pavements than on ordinary roads?—Yes; they only take about a quarter the power on a pitched pavement ”

“ From the experiments you have made, with a view to proportion the diameter of the wheels with the weight to be drawn and the velocity required, what diameter of propelling wheel do you think will be generally used?—Five feet; the piston of the engine should not travel more than two miles and a half per hour ”