London Croydon & Epsom Railway, 1846, 1847

Vacuum and Blowing Engines (26 items).

Two horizontal engines, with 45 inch cylinders, 7 foot strokes.

Reverse drawings, Jul. 1846 - plan and transverse section of the engine and boiler houses, longitudinal section of the engine house; coloured plan and sections of the engine house (2 undated and uncoded sheets, both marked "Waster - altered to place the fly wheel in the middle of the house"); drawings, Oct. 1846 - plan and longitudinal sections of the engine house (tracings), transverse sections of the engine house (reverse drawings); plan and sections of the engine (4 drawings on 1 large sheet).
Cylinder, nozzles etc. - coloured original drawing; air pump, condenser etc. - coloured reverse drawing; crank shaft, fly wheel and plummer blocks - reverse drawing; connecting rod, cross bar, guide frame, arm for working air pump - coloured original and partially coloured reverse drawings; wrought iron connecting rod and cross bar, plan of engine house showing sleeper plates etc., wrought iron crank and shaft - reverse drawings; 90 inch air pump - partially coloured original drawing; crank shaft, fly wheel and plummer blocks - original and reverse drawings; working gear (eccentric and rod etc.) - partially coloured original and partially coloured reverse elevations and plans; proposed arrangement of waste and water pipes - reverse drawing; governor gearing - uncoded rough sketch. All the drawings bear letter codes except where noted.

Original Portfolio or 'Book' No. 982. Catalogue of Old Engines p. 272.

For the London Croydon & Epsom Railway. Engines and vacuum pumps for atmospheric railway. The London Croydon & Epsom Railway asked Boulton Watt & Co. to suspend work on these engines late in 1846, and they were transferred to the South Devon Railway in Aug. 1847. However the South Devon Railway abandoned atmospheric working before the engines could be delivered, and they were finally sold to the Plymouth Iron Works, Merthyr Tydfil, as blowing engines. The iron works closed in 1875, and the engines were modified to act as compressing engines for the Plymouth Collieries.

See also: Portfolio 5/669b.