PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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THE FLEET Steam locomotives Four steam trams had been purchased by the time the line was opened and another three were on order. It would appear that only one more was delivered. They were built by Mr William Wilkinson at his works in Wigan. The drivers were recruited from experienced men in Lancashire and Yorkshire. They had a vertical boiler and engine constructed in Plymouth’s case by the Steel Company of Scotland. The small bore cylinders acted upon a crankshaft that was in turn connected to the four, coupled wheels by means of cog-wheel gears. The axles, wheels and nearly all the working parts of the engine were made of Sieman-Martin’s best quality steel and all the brass workings were of phosphor bronze. The exhaust steam was superheated in the firebox before escaping to the atmosphere through the chimney. Coke was used for fuel and the emission of smoke was described as 'scarcely perceptible'. Mr Wilkinson’s engines were thus small and light and smokeless. In addition to the steam brake from the engine and the normal hand operated brakes, the locomotive was also fitted with an automatic speed governor, which operated if the Board of Trade speed limit of 10mph was exceeded. The steam trams, which were painted brown, cost between £600 each for the non-condensing version and £1,100 for those fitted with the condensing apparatus. Passenger carriages An unspecified number of passenger carriages had been purchased from the Starbuck Car and Wagon Company Ltd, of Birkenhead. They were 28 feet long and were based on two 4-wheel bogies capable of negotiating the many sharp curves on the routes. Described by the local press as 'very handsome, light and graceful in appearance externally', they sat 24 passengers inside plus another 12 on the two canopied end platforms, where smoking was allowed. The internal fittings were of varnished ash with polished and perforated mahogany seats. The passenger carriages were reported as being painted white on the sides and brown at the ends. All the stock was kept in the depot in West Hoe Road, Millbay, Plymouth. The five locomotives were apparently sold to the Swanscombe Colliery, in Kent, where they remained at work until 1922.
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