CONTRACTOR'S LOCOMOTIVE.

We give above an engraving of a tank locomotive engine, designed and constructed by Messrs. Peckett and Sons, of the Atlas Engine Works, Bristol, which has been specially designed  for the use of contractors, and is also well adapted for collieries, ironworks, and many other purposes, and is neat and strong.

This locomotive, as will be seen from the illustration, is of the saddle tank type, and is fitted with inside cylinders of special hard cylinder metal, 12in. diameter and 18in. stroke. This engine is of the usual 4ft. 8 ½ in. gauge, with six wheels coupled, 3ft. diameter, with a short wheel base of 10ft., the tires of the driving wheels being turned thin to facilitate its passage round sharp curves.

The axles are of the best Bessemer steel, 5in. diameter, and the journals are 5in. diameter and 6in. long. The wheel tires are of the best Bessemer steel, 2 ¼ in. thick on the tread, and 5 in. wide. The framing consists of two solid wrought iron plates, ¾  in. thick, 2ft. 8in. deep, and 18ft. 8in. long, running from end to end of the engine, well stayed together with cross stays. The boiler barrel is made of the best Siemens-Martin mild steel plates, 5/8 in. thick, 10ft. 9 ½ in. long, and 2ft. l0 in. diameter, the longitudinal seams being all double rivet ted, and the shell well stayed with strong gusset stays. The outer shell of the fire-box is also made of the best Siemens-Martin mild steel plates 3/8 in. and 7/16 in. thick.

The fire-box crown is  stayed direct to the shell, the stay bolts, which pass through the shell plate, taking hold of the stirrups fixed to the fire-box crown, so that the upward expansion of the fire-box when raising steam is freely permitted. The internal fire-box is made of selected copper plates, the crown, sides, and fire-door plate, being 3/8 in. thick, and the tube plate 11/16 in. The tubes are of solid drawn seamless brass, 75 in number, and are 1 ¾ in. diameter. The heating surface is of ample capacity. The boiler is constructed for a working pressure of 140 lb. per square inch, and is fed by two Giffard’s No. 5 injectors, which are amply sufficient for the purpose.

The tank is placed on the boiler barrel, and will contain 600 gallons of water, and is securely fastened to the frames and smoke-box. The piston rods are of steel, 2in. diameter, and the connecting and coupling rods are of the best forged scrap iron, and are fitted with heavy gun-metal brasses. The coupling pins are of steel, 3in. diameter, and 2 ½ in. long.

This engine is fitted with a powerful screw brake acting on all the wheels by means of cast iron brake blocks. There is also an adequate sanding arrangement on each side of the engine worked by levers from the foot-plate.

A coal bunker is placed on the foot-plate with a capacity of 20 cwt. There is also a weather board and awning over the foot-plate, as shown in the illustration; and the engine is supplied throughout with the usual fittings, the feed, jet, and warming pipes being of solid drawn copper. The weights are evenly balanced, the engine is well painted and finished, and weighs, empty, 15 tons 16 cwt., and about 20 ½  tons when in working order.