Fowler's Ghost
Encyclopedia
"Fowler's Ghost" is the nickname given to an experimental fireless
2-4-0
steam locomotive designed by John Fowler and built in 1861 for use on the Metropolitan Railway
, London's first underground railway
. The broad gauge locomotive used exhaust recondensing techniques and a large quantity of fire bricks to retain heat and prevent the emission of smoke and steam in tunnels.
After trials on the Great Western Railway
in 1861 and in London in 1862, the locomotive was considered a failure; on its first trial it was near to exploding, and problems with steaming and pressure retention were never overcome. The locomotive was sold in 1865 with the intention to convert it into a conventional steam engine, but it was quietly scrapped in 1895.
The locomotive was considered an embarrassment to its designer, the respected engineer John Fowler (who later designed the Forth Rail Bridge), and its existence was denied for many years; the sobriquet "Fowler's Ghost" was given to it by The Railway Magazine
in a retrospective article in January 1901, and this has subsequently become the standard reference name for the engine.
The locomotive was built by Robert Stephenson and Company
at their works in Newcastle upon Tyne
. It was built to broad gauge
specification with a 2-4-0
wheel arrangement with tender
. The boiler had a normal firebox connected to a large combustion chamber containing a large quantity of fire brick
s which were to act as a heat reservoir.
The combustion chamber was linked to the smokebox
through a set of very short firetubes
. Exhaust steam was re-condensed instead of escaping and fed back to the boiler. The locomotive was intended to operate conventionally in the open, but in tunnels dampers would be closed and steam would be generated using the stored heat from the fire bricks.
. The trial was a failure, with the locomotive completing only 7.5 miles (12.1 km). The condensing system leaked, causing the boiler to run dry and the steam pressure to drop. As a result, the boiler feed-pumps jammed, creating a dangerous situation where the boiler could overheat and explode.
In conventional coal-fired locomotives, the normal procedure would be to drop the fire onto the track to prevent explosion, but no provision had been made for discharging the fire bricks which provided most of the heat. An explosion was evidently narrowly avoided. After a second failed trial on the Metropolitan Railway between King's Cross
and Edgware Road station in 1862, development work on the locomotive ceased. Cuthbert Hamilton Ellis noted that the engine "was a fine, sturdy creation, but the trouble was that her boiler not only refrained from producing smoke, it produced very little steam either."
The locomotive was sold to Isaac Watt Boulton
in 1865; he intended to convert it into a standard engine, and commissioned drawings for a new conventional boiler and its conversion into standard gauge
. However, the conversion was left incomplete when Boulton's locomotive-hire business ceased trading in 1894; the locomotive was eventually scrapped by Beyer Peacock & Co in 1895.
Fireless locomotive
A fireless locomotive is a type of locomotive designed for use under conditions restricted by either the presence of flammable material or the need for cleanliness...
2-4-0
2-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels....
steam locomotive designed by John Fowler and built in 1861 for use on the Metropolitan Railway
Metropolitan railway
Metropolitan Railway can refer to:* Metropolitan line, part of the London Underground* Metropolitan Railway, the first underground railway to be built in London...
, London's first underground railway
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
. The broad gauge locomotive used exhaust recondensing techniques and a large quantity of fire bricks to retain heat and prevent the emission of smoke and steam in tunnels.
After trials on the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
in 1861 and in London in 1862, the locomotive was considered a failure; on its first trial it was near to exploding, and problems with steaming and pressure retention were never overcome. The locomotive was sold in 1865 with the intention to convert it into a conventional steam engine, but it was quietly scrapped in 1895.
The locomotive was considered an embarrassment to its designer, the respected engineer John Fowler (who later designed the Forth Rail Bridge), and its existence was denied for many years; the sobriquet "Fowler's Ghost" was given to it by The Railway Magazine
The Railway Magazine
The Railway Magazine is a monthly British railway magazine, aimed at the railway enthusiast market, that has been published in London since July 1897. it has been, for three years running, the railway magazine with the largest circulation in the U.K., having a monthly average sale during 2009 of...
in a retrospective article in January 1901, and this has subsequently become the standard reference name for the engine.
Design
The Metropolitan Railway was designed to run through covered tunnels in railway cuttings. At a railway select committee in 1855, Fowler had stated his intention "to start with our boiler filled with steam and water to such capacity and of such pressure that it will take its journey from end-to-end." However, early experiments with these steam accumulator locomotives had failed, so to avoid problems with smoke and steam overwhelming staff and passengers on the covered sections, Fowler proposed a unique fireless locomotive.The locomotive was built by Robert Stephenson and Company
Robert Stephenson and Company
Robert Stephenson and Company was a locomotive manufacturing company founded in 1823. It was the first company set up specifically to build railway engines.- Foundation and early success :...
at their works in Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
. It was built to broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
specification with a 2-4-0
2-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels....
wheel arrangement with tender
Tender locomotive
A tender or coal-car is a special rail vehicle hauled by a steam locomotive containing the locomotive's fuel and water. Steam locomotives consume large quantities of water compared to the quantity of fuel, so tenders are necessary to keep the locomotive running over long distances. A locomotive...
. The boiler had a normal firebox connected to a large combustion chamber containing a large quantity of fire brick
Fire brick
A fire brick, firebrick, or refractory brick is a block of refractory ceramic material used in lining furnaces, kilns, fireboxes, and fireplaces. A refractory brick is built primarily to withstand high temperature, but will also usually have a low thermal conductivity for greater energy efficiency...
s which were to act as a heat reservoir.
The combustion chamber was linked to the smokebox
Smokebox
A smokebox is one of the major basic parts of a Steam locomotive exhaust system. Smoke and hot gases pass from the firebox through tubes where they pass heat to the surrounding water in the boiler. The smoke then enters the smokebox, and is exhausted to the atmosphere through the chimney .To assist...
through a set of very short firetubes
Fire-tube boiler
A fire-tube boiler is a type of boiler in which hot gases from a fire pass through one or more tubes running through a sealed container of water...
. Exhaust steam was re-condensed instead of escaping and fed back to the boiler. The locomotive was intended to operate conventionally in the open, but in tunnels dampers would be closed and steam would be generated using the stored heat from the fire bricks.
Trials
As the Metropolitan Railway was still two years from completion, the first trial was held on the broad gauge Great Western Railway in October 1861 on the line near Hanwell railway stationHanwell railway station
Hanwell railway station is a railway station in Hanwell in the London Borough of Ealing. The station is managed by First Great Western but served by local services operated by Heathrow Connect from London to Heathrow Airport.-History:...
. The trial was a failure, with the locomotive completing only 7.5 miles (12.1 km). The condensing system leaked, causing the boiler to run dry and the steam pressure to drop. As a result, the boiler feed-pumps jammed, creating a dangerous situation where the boiler could overheat and explode.
In conventional coal-fired locomotives, the normal procedure would be to drop the fire onto the track to prevent explosion, but no provision had been made for discharging the fire bricks which provided most of the heat. An explosion was evidently narrowly avoided. After a second failed trial on the Metropolitan Railway between King's Cross
King's Cross St. Pancras tube station
King's Cross St. Pancras is a tube station in the London Borough of Camden, on the London Underground network, serving both King's Cross and main line stations. It is in Travelcard Zone 1. It is the fourth busiest station on the system and serves more lines than any other...
and Edgware Road station in 1862, development work on the locomotive ceased. Cuthbert Hamilton Ellis noted that the engine "was a fine, sturdy creation, but the trouble was that her boiler not only refrained from producing smoke, it produced very little steam either."
The locomotive was sold to Isaac Watt Boulton
Isaac Watt Boulton
Isaac Watt Boulton was a British engineer and founder of the locomotive-hire business known as Boulton's Siding.-Family history:...
in 1865; he intended to convert it into a standard engine, and commissioned drawings for a new conventional boiler and its conversion into standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
. However, the conversion was left incomplete when Boulton's locomotive-hire business ceased trading in 1894; the locomotive was eventually scrapped by Beyer Peacock & Co in 1895.