WISBECH AND UPWELL RAILWAY. QUANTITY OF MATERIALS IN ONE MILE SINGLE LINE WITH The cost of a locomotive appears to be about £1400. Fig. 2, Plate VIII., is a diagram of an engine with the casing removed. There is a platform at either end, the driver standing upon the front one, and the reversing wheel and regulator being arranged to work from both ends of the engine. The following details may be noted :— Under the Act certain regulations are enforced in regard to locomotives. The engine must be free from noise, produced by blast or the clatter of machinery, such as the passengers or the public might reasonably complain of; and it must not emit smoke or steam to such an extent as they might fairly object to. All fire used by the engine must be concealed from view, and the machinery must be covered at all points above 4 inches from the level of the rails; the engines are boxed in, therefore, with plates at the sides. The maximum speed permitted is 8 miles an hour; on facing points it must not exceed 4 miles an hour. A governor, therefore, is fitted to each engine (or, as the permanent-way inspector expressed it, the engine is "slotted "), so that when the speed of the engine exceeds 10 miles an hour it shall cause the steam to be cut off and the brakes applied. The engine must be provided with a speed-indicator; with a special bell, to be sounded as a warning as may be necessary; and with a suitable fender, in order to ward off obstacles. The fender attached to each end of the engine is an uncompromising, straight edged gridiron, commonly called a "cow-killer," whereas the V-shaped "cowcatcher"-used in India, America, and elsewhere-would throw a man or animal (which had broken through the fence and was caught on the line) off sideways, and would not necessarily kill him or it outright. Each coupled wheel must be fitted with a brake-block, which may be applied by screw, by treadle, or by other means, and also by steam. The Westinghouse and hand brakes are used. The engine and cars must be capable of being brought to a stand-still at certain places, and, in case of emergency, within a reasonable distance. Accordingly, the Westinghouse brake is fitted to all cars, as well as engines. The cost of the nine cars was £2485. They are of different patterns. Fig. 3, Plate VIII., is a diagram of an 18 ft. four-wheel composite carriage, with two compartments, to seat eight first-class and sixteen thirdclass passengers. Fig. 4, Plate VIII., is a diagram of a 28 ft. composite carriage on bogies, to carry ten first-class and twenty-two third-class passengers, and weighing, when empty, 10 tons. Both types have platforms and doors at each end, by which the passengers may enter and leave the compartments, and a central gangway through which the conductor may pass from end to end of the train, there being a sliding door opening between the compartments, flaps let down over the couplings, and hand-rails projecting from one platform to another. The maximum permissible loads are for passenger trains, 9 vehicles (the two larger tramcars each to count as 2 vehicles); for mixed trains, 10 vehicles, 4 of which may be loaded goods trucks; and for coal trains, 4 loaded trucks in winter and 5 in summer. The time-table provides for a daily service of 6 passenger and 3 goods trains from Wisbech to Upwell, and of 7 passenger and 3 goods trains from Upwell to Wisbech. No coal or dead buffer trucks are to be worked by these tramcar trains; a special trip has to be run for the working of such traffic. An ordinary passenger train may include an engine, three cars, and a brake-van, more cars being required, perhaps, on Saturdays. The train staff consists of a driver, a fireman, and a conductor; the last sells tickets. Two drivers and two firemen are employed on the line at one time; and the following locomotive staff is charged to the tramway : 3 drivers. 2 cleaners. working foreman, shop fitters, etc., when an engine is under repairs. The following are the permanent traffic staff engaged on the tramway: 1 conductor. 2 lad porters. 1 acting guard. And assistance is rendered by the Wisbech Station staff as follows:— Porter and pointsman, cleaning cars. Lampman, lighting cars. Parcels porter, to deal with parcels on and off trains. Clerks, doing the necessary clerkage. The rates and fares are given in the accompanying statements. It will be noticed that the first-class passenger fare to Upwell, 4d., is at the rate of only 3d. per mile, and the third-class fare, 3d., at the rate of only 1d. per mile. The Wisbech goods rates, including collection or delivery, cover the haulage over the tramway, and no additional charge is made. During the year ending 30th June 1896, the gross receipts amounted to £2632 (about £337 per mile per annum, or £6 per mile per week); the working expenditure to £2212; and the net revenue, therefore, to £420. Of the gross receipts, £1013 was from passengers; £43 from |