New Locomotives for the L.M.S.

New steam locomotives introduced in Britain include a batch of three cylinder, 4—6—0 type, superheated engines for passenger haulage, acquired by the L.M. & S. Company. An interesting feature is a tapered boiler barrel until recently foreign to L.M. and S. practice, but for a long time greatly favoured by the Great Western designers. Working pressure is 2251b. per sq. in., and the three cylinders are of 17in. diameter by 26in. stroke. Total heating surface is 1,625 sq. ft., and tractive effort at 85 per cent. B.P. 26,6101b. Total wheel-base of engine and tender is 54ft. 3 1/4 in., and total loaded weight 134 tons 17 owt.

In all, some 113 new locomotives of this particular design are being acquired. Sixty-three are being built in the railway shops at Crewe and Derby, and fifty are being constructed at the North British Locomotive Company's works in Glasgow. The railway-built engines have tenders carrying 3,500 gallons of water, and the Glasgow-built tenders have a capacity of 4,000 gallons.

The long non-stop runs accomplished by the modern steam locomotive have only become possible by the introduction of special water troughs along the track, from which water may be picked up while travelling at speed. The L.M.S. & S. and L. & N.E. mainlines between London and Scotland are especially well-equipped in this respect, and the “Flying Scotsman,” out of King's Cross picks up something like 11,000 gallons of water from six track troughs between London and the Scottish capital.

The troughs generally favoured are from 600 to 700 yards in length, and each time the hinged scoop is lowered by the fireman of a passing train between 2,000 and 3,000 gallons of soft water are forced into the tender tank. Some fifteen to twenty seconds are occupied in the operation, and the normal water level in the trough is regained in less than five minutes. Each trough is equipped with its own valve and auxiliary tank apparatus, so designed as to prevent the passage of a train on the “Up” line reducing the level of water in the “Down” line trough, and vice versa.