Braithwaite and Ericsson: Novelty

1829.

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Novelty Locomotive. 1906.

Note: This is a Sub-section of Braithwaite and Ericsson

Participant in the Rainhill Trials.

This engine had two vertical cylinders, though it has been frequently credited with one only. The spring gear was probably the best of any of the competing engines. The following interesting description is taken from "The Engineers' and Mechanics' Encyclopedia·' :- "To prevent the effect of the springs from counter-acting the action of the engine, the connecting-rods (note the plural) were placed as nearly as possible in a horizontal position, and the motion is communicated to them by bell crank on each side of the carriage, being connected by slings to the piston-rods."

Little further description of this engine need be given beyond pointing out that with the two cylinders there must have been a double crank axle, in which case Braithwaite and Ericsson can justly lay claim to this. In a footnote to page 27 of Colburn's "Locomotive Engineering," the author states that he was assured by Mr. John Braithwaite that there were two cylinders working cranks at right angles to each other." The illustrations of the engine do not, however, show this important feature. The fuel and the water tank were carried on the engine framing and the Novelty was therefore the first tank engine.

Several full-size replicas have been built.The one at Manchester's Museum of Science and Industry is non-operating, but it does include a number of original components.

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