Rouen Tramway 0-4-2 Locomotives in France


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class unknown (Locobase 20030)

Data from C G Down, "Fox Walker Tramway Locomotives", letter to the Industrial Railway Record, No. 21 (pp. 308-312); "Steam on the Bristol Tramways," Herapath's Railway (and Commercial) Journal, Volume XXXIX, No 2013 (15 December 1877), p. 1329; Van Norstrand's Engineering Magazine, Volume XVIII, No CX (February 1878), p. 186-187; International Exhibition at Paris, 1878: Report of the Commissioners for Victoria to His Excellency the Governor (Melbourne, Vic: John Ferres, 1879). pp. 148-151.

Sometimes assembling a detailed entry in Locobase requires sewing a quilt out of several sources, as is indicated by the paragraph above. The accounts agree that the locomotive described was demonstrated on the Bristol Tramway in late 1877 to show that it would serve the Rouen system well. Although the accounts contend that the meagre tube heating surface area was plenty for the cylinder volume encompassed by the two small cylinders, it seems that Mon. Vignolles increased cylinder size in the tram engines actually delivered.

A large chamber under the smoke box had a conical arrangement of baffles that softened the exhaust (The Herapath's report describing it as "a kind of cage made of iron wire wound spirally round an open frame"), rendering it "noiseless" on level ground and "only slightly audible" when under greater demand on grades.

The locomotive lay horizontally within a tram body. Its cylinders were placed outside the boiler to allow them to drive the axles on cranks set into the drivers themselves. Its trailing bogie used two diagonal crossbars mounted on the frame to accommodate 25-foot radius curves.

Stopping the engine and its trailing car required the operator to step on a pedal. Two blocks suspended on a cross shaft pressed on a disc fixed on the front axle. The apparatus was described as powerful, stopping the tram within its own length at 6 mph and sparing the drivers' tires.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Classunknown
Locobase ID20030
RailroadRouen Tramway
CountryFrance
Whyte0-4-2T
Number in Class1
Road Numbers
Gauge4'
Number Built1
BuilderFox Walker & Co
Year1877
Valve Gear
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) 4.50 / 1.37
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) 4.50 / 1.37
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)7500 / 3402
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)10,000 / 4536
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)6 / 3
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)24 / 610
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)120 / 830
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)8" x 9" / 203x229
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)2448 / 1110.40
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 3.06
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)
Grate Area (sq ft / m2) 4.60 / 0.43
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)96 / 8.92
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)96 / 8.92
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume183.35
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation552
Same as above plus superheater percentage552
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area
Power L1
Power MT

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