James Samuel
Encyclopedia
James Samuel was a railway engineer who was appointed engineer to the Eastern Counties Railway
in 1846. He held two important patents: the first mechanism for the compounding
of steam locomotives, granted in 1850, and the railway fishplate
of 1844. In both cases, however, the invention was the work of another.
Eastern Counties Railway
The Eastern Counties Railway was an early English railway company incorporated in 1836. It was intended to link London with Ipswich via Colchester, and then on to Norwich and Yarmouth. Construction began in late March 1837 on the first nine miles, at the London end of the line.Construction was...
in 1846. He held two important patents: the first mechanism for the compounding
Compound locomotive
A compound engine unit is a type of steam engine where steam is expanded in two or more stages.A typical arrangement for a compound engine is that the steam is first expanded in a high-pressure cylinder, then having given up heat and losing pressure, it exhausts directly into one or more larger...
of steam locomotives, granted in 1850, and the railway fishplate
Fishplate
In rail terminology, a fishplate, splice bar or joint bar is a metal bar that is bolted to the ends of two rails to join them together in a track. The name is derived from fish, a wooden bar with a curved profile used to strengthen a ship's mast...
of 1844. In both cases, however, the invention was the work of another.