Bristol and Exeter Railway Fairfield steam carriage
Encyclopedia
The Bristol and Exeter Railway Fairfield was an experimental broad gauge
self-propelled steam carriage
. In later use the carriage portion was removed and it was used as a small shunting locomotive.
at Fairfield Works in Bow, London
. It was tested on the West London Railway
late in 1848, although it was early in 1850 before modifications had been made that allowed Adams to demonstrate that it was working to the agreed standards. The design was not perpetuated by the Bristol and Exeter Railway
, instead they purchased small 2-2-2T locomotives
for working their branch lines.
It worked on the Clevedon
and Tiverton branches, although it might have spent some time on the Weston branch too.
The power unit had a single pair of driving wheel
s driven through a jackshaft
by small 8 inch × 12 inch cylinders
, the steam produced in a vertical boiler
. The boiler was not covered by a cab or other bodywork; the two pairs of carrying wheels were beneath the carriage portion. It had seats for 16 first class and 32 second class passengers. It was once timed as running at 52 miles per hour.
It was numbered 29 in the Bristol and Exeter Railway locomotive list but generally referred to as "the Fairfield locomotive".
Adams built another couple of steam railmotors at around the same time, but the concept did not catch on. It was revived around the turn of the century and the Great Western Railway
built up a fleet of around 100 bogie
rail motors
. These were developed into an autotrain
system whereby the driver of a locomotive could control the train from a cab in the carriage, the forerunner of today's the familiar multiple unit
trains.
. Its use for the next few years is unclear, although it might have been moved to Taunton
to pump water.
In 1856 it was sold to Messrs Hutchinson and Ritson, engineering contractors who were working on the Somerset Central Railway. Before delivery, the Bristol and Exeter Railway had to rebuild it as an 0-4-0
. The price agreed was £600, paid in prepared timber!
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
self-propelled steam carriage
Railmotor
Railmotor is a term which was used by several British railway companies for a steam railcar.-Overview:William Bridges Adams started building railmotors as early as 1848, but only in small numbers...
. In later use the carriage portion was removed and it was used as a small shunting locomotive.
Fairfield
The steam carriage was built to the design of William Bridges AdamsWilliam Bridges Adams
William Bridges Adams was an author, inventor and locomotive engineer.-Overview:He is best known for his patented Adams Axle — a successful radial axle design in use on railways in Britain until the end of steam traction in 1968 — and the railway fishplate...
at Fairfield Works in Bow, London
Bow, London
Bow is an area of London, England, United Kingdom in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is a built-up, mostly residential district located east of Charing Cross, and is a part of the East End.-Bridges at Bowe:...
. It was tested on the West London Railway
West London Line
The West London Line is a short railway in inner West London which links lines at in the south to lines near Willesden Junction in the north. It has always been an important cross-London link especially for freight services...
late in 1848, although it was early in 1850 before modifications had been made that allowed Adams to demonstrate that it was working to the agreed standards. The design was not perpetuated by the Bristol and Exeter Railway
Bristol and Exeter Railway
The Bristol & Exeter Railway was a railway company formed to connect Bristol and Exeter.The company's head office was situated outside their Bristol station...
, instead they purchased small 2-2-2T locomotives
Bristol and Exeter Railway 2-2-2T locomotives
The seven Bristol and Exeter Railway 2-2-2T locomotives were small 2-2-2 well tank locomotives designed by James Pearson for working branch lines such as those to Tiverton and Clevedon...
for working their branch lines.
It worked on the Clevedon
Clevedon branch line
The Clevedon branch line was a branch railway line that ran from Yatton railway station on the Bristol to Taunton Line to Clevedon in North Somerset, England, with no intermediate stops....
and Tiverton branches, although it might have spent some time on the Weston branch too.
The power unit had a single pair of driving wheel
Driving wheel
On a steam locomotive, a driving wheel is a powered wheel which is driven by the locomotive's pistons...
s driven through a jackshaft
Jackshaft
A jackshaft is a device for turning the wheels of a locomotive. It is essentially an axle with no wheels. Each end of the jackshaft has a crank pin and a counterweight. The driving wheels are then connected by side rods. The name may come from a combination of "jack," a slang term for a locomotive,...
by small 8 inch × 12 inch cylinders
Cylinder (engine)
A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...
, the steam produced in a vertical boiler
Boiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
. The boiler was not covered by a cab or other bodywork; the two pairs of carrying wheels were beneath the carriage portion. It had seats for 16 first class and 32 second class passengers. It was once timed as running at 52 miles per hour.
It was numbered 29 in the Bristol and Exeter Railway locomotive list but generally referred to as "the Fairfield locomotive".
Adams built another couple of steam railmotors at around the same time, but the concept did not catch on. It was revived around the turn of the century and the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
built up a fleet of around 100 bogie
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
rail motors
GWR steam rail motors
The steam rail motors were self-propelled carriages operated by the Great Western Railway in England and Wales from 1903 to 1935. They incorporated a steam locomotive within the body of the carriage.-History:...
. These were developed into an autotrain
GWR Autocoach
The GWR Autocoach is a type of coach that was used by the Great Western Railway for push-pull trains powered by a steam locomotive. The distinguishing design feature of an autocoach is the driving cab at one end, allowing the driver to control the train without needing to be located in the cab of...
system whereby the driver of a locomotive could control the train from a cab in the carriage, the forerunner of today's the familiar multiple unit
Multiple unit
The term multiple unit or MU is used to describe a self-propelled carriages capable of coupling with other units of the same or similar type and still being controlled from one driving cab. The term is commonly used to denote passenger trainsets consisting of more than one carriage...
trains.
Shunting locomotive
In 1851 the carriage portion was removed and the power unit rebuilt, presumably with a new pair of carrying wheels making it an 0-2-20-2-2
An 0-2-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, is one that has two coupled driving wheels followed by two trailing wheels, with no leading wheels...
. Its use for the next few years is unclear, although it might have been moved to Taunton
Taunton railway station
Taunton railway station is a junction station on the route from London to Penzance, from London Paddington station. It is situated in Taunton, Somerset, England and is operated by First Great Western...
to pump water.
In 1856 it was sold to Messrs Hutchinson and Ritson, engineering contractors who were working on the Somerset Central Railway. Before delivery, the Bristol and Exeter Railway had to rebuild it as an 0-4-0
0-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-0 represents one of the simplest possible types, that with two axles and four coupled wheels, all of which are driven...
. The price agreed was £600, paid in prepared timber!