On Saturday a running trial and inspection was made along the whole length of the new line. The railway took over three years to construct and cost £85,000 per mile. Lord Salisbury will visit Liverpool on the 4^th February to officially open the line which runs from Herculaneum Dock to Rimrose Wall, Seaforth, a distance of six miles. It uses standard gauge track and there are thirteen stations with another due to be erected at Seaforth.

Mr. Thomas Parker of Wolverhampton has designed and carried out all of the electrical work in the electricity department for the Electric Construction Corporation Limited. That Corporation is under an agreement to put-down and maintain engines, boilers, electric lights, conductors, signals, carriages, switches, and indeed all appliances, and takes the responsibility of the successful running of the concern for two years, guaranteeing the proprietary company to the extent of 3.5 pence per train mile run. The agreement covers depreciation, repairs and several expenses, and indeed amounts to a bond to take over everything but the actual management and collecting of fares. Mr. Parker estimates that at a cost of 2 pounds of coal, a train of two carriages weighing 40 tons, when each filled with 56 passengers, can be carried one mile.

At the Bramley-Moore Dock Depot there are four horizontal compound engines by Messrs. Musgrave, of Bolton, each driving a separate Elwell-Parker dynamo of powerful energy, and capable of jointly working up to 2,000 horse power. The boilers are fitted with mechanical stokers, and there is an arrangement of mechanical coal brokers by which all handling is entirely obviated, the coal being dropped into them from the high-level coal railway. From the dynamos the electricity generated is by means of copper conductors carried through switch arrangements into the railroad, instruments in the shed indicating the electrical pressure upon the road and passing thereto. 

The copper conductors are connected to the outside rail and with a central conductor between the rails in each set, the positive and negative sides of the circuit being thus formed. Hinged conductors of cast iron, sliding upon this conductor make the connection between the motors upon the train and the dynamos at the generating station. The motors are carried by the passenger carriages, and the quantity of electrical energy picked up can be regulated by the man in charge of the train. The same principal is seen in the case of the Blackpool tramway, only for obvious reasons the conductor at Blackpool is below ground, whilst in the present instance it is on the permanent way, and has the appearance of a third rail. The conductor is made of mild steel and its dimensions are about four inches square. 

Although two carriages form a train, these vehicles are so made that any number can be coupled together. They are so coupled as to give a motor at each end of the train, and the motors are connected so as to be controlled from either end by the driver, who will always travel in front, changing ends upon arrival at the terminus, and carrying with him a key, without which the motors cannot be operated. Students of electrical science will understand by which law it is impossible for these trains to travel more than 35 miles an hour. Mr. Parker says that the moment that very respectable speed is reached, the motors, instead of picking up electrical power from the conductors, would at once begin to return power back to the dynamos. The trains make the journey in 29 minutes including the stopping times at the stations.

The inspecting party left Water Street Station shortly after half past one and completed their task in a couple of hours. During the run the train reached a speed of 30 miles an hour. The weather that day was awful and the party were pleased to see that the trains could operate normally under such conditions.

The party included Mr. T. Snape, M.P., Sir W. B. Forwood, Mr. George Melly, Mr. J. Barrow, Mr. D. Meldrum (Cheshire Lines Committee), MR. C. A. Rowlandson, Mr. Reginald Todd, Mr. Evanson, Mr. H. J. Brodie, Mr. A. Bare, Mr. P. Higginson, Mr. Thomas Parker, Mr. S. B. Cottrell (General Manager and Resident Engineer), Captain Wilkinson, and Alderman Miles and Broughton, of Bolton. In the evening Mr. Parker entertained the party at the Adelphi Hotel.

 
Opening of the Liverpool Overhead Railway

Liverpool is the first city in England to build an overhead railway, and the first city in the world to adopt electricity as a means of working such a railway, and on Saturday last, the formality of opening this unique undertaking was performed by the Marquis of Salisbury. It could hardly be possible to imagine a fitter person than the ex-premier for performing such a ceremony, as he has the reputation of being an enthusiastic student of electricity, and, in addition to that, is one of the two distinguished men to whom for the last twelve years the country has alternately trusted its government.

The party arrived at Bramley-Moore Dock and entered the generating station, which is built in the arches that support the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. All of the vessels in the dock and the surrounding streets were bedecked with bunting, the weather was bright, and the scene was of the gayest description, as equipages and cabs, the picturesque uniforms of the mounted police, the general animation, the large bodies of police under their inspectors, lent no small affect to the ensemble.

The Marquis was accompanied into the generating station by Sir. W. B. Forwood, the Chairman of the Overhead Railway Company, the Mayor, Mr. R. D. Holt, Lord Lathom, Mr. A. B. Forwood, M.P., Mr. Brancker, Chairman of the Dock Board, Sir Daniel Cooper, Chairman of the Electric Construction Corporation, the Rev. Canon Armour, Mr. J. B. Smith, Mr. E. Laurence, Chairman of the Gas Company, and others. Also present at the inaugural ceremony where J. A. F. Aspinall (Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway), and Thomas Parker. The station had been arranged for the accommodation of a large number of visitors, and that, although there was no overcrowding, the available space was filled.

The party ascended a platform, speeches were made and the presentation of a small silver inkstand was made to Lord Salisbury, who started the electric current of 2,000 horse power which magically draws the trains over the lines. When the ceremony was over the party accompanied Lord Salisbury to Sandon Station where a specially decorated train was waiting to convey them on the first official trip on the line. The remainder of the party travelled to Clarence Dock Station where two trains were waiting to take them over the same route.

With regard to comfort of the new style of locomotion, it may be said that it is delightful travelling. A handle is turned, and without any visible means of propulsion or attraction, off go the carriages with a smooth and even motion, which can be regulated at the will of the engineer. The carriages are built on the American principle, with a central passage open end to end, with seats back to back transversely. The sides are nearly all window, thus affording an excellent view of the long stretch of docks. The sensation going down the “switch-back”, necessitated by the fact that the overhead railway has to go beneath the high level railway bridge at the Bramley-Moore Dock, is strongly remindful of the form of amusement which was so popular a year or two ago, though in a very much more modified degree, the speed of the train retaining almost uniform regularity. Just beyond the Sandon Station the marquis’s train was seen coming from the Alexandra Dock, preceded by flashes of electricity, thus showing the actual power which moves the carriages.

The train arrived at the Alexandra Dock Station, with admirable celerity the carriages were moved over the points to the down line and a swift journey was made to the Water Street Station, where the passengers disembarked after a most enjoyable trip. His lordship, however, was taken on to the Custom House Station, whence he was driven to the Town Hall where a luncheon was given by the Mayor.

The Liverpool Overhead Railway Company
31 James Street
Liverpool

 6^th January, 1894

To the secretary of the Electric Construction Company.

Dear Sir,

I am desired by my colleagues to express to you their satisfaction with the manner in which your company has fulfilled its contract for the electrical equipment of this railway.

The machinery has been well and substantially made, it is economical in working, and its efficiency may be gauged by the fact that during the ten months the line has been opened we have run a five minutes’ service of trains, and 96 percent have been on time.

We are now able to relieve you of the charge of our generating station, which we consider has proved its capacity and reliability.

We feel that these excellent results are very largely due to the scientific skill, thought, and untiring industry of your works director, Mr. Parker, to whom we ask you to kindly convey our thanks.

I am faithfully yours, William B. Forwood, Chairman.

The Electrical Equipment of the Liverpool Overhead Railway 
by Mr. T. Parker, M.. Inst., C.E.

The plant was required to run a three-minute service on six miles of double track. In designing it, curves were drawn of the energy required at any point along the line of one loaded train with various accelerations. etc., to meet the timetable service. From these curves the power required at the generating station was calculated, and four dynamos were arranged, yielding 475 amperes at 500 volts and 420 revolutions, or 1,200 E.H.P. in all. The dynamos were of the double-line type, rope driven, with pulley between two bearings, so that the armature could be taken out without disturbing the ropes.

The electrical efficiency of the dynamos was 97.77. The switchboard, specially designed for safety and simplicity in working, was fully described. The main current passed to the line through a main magnetic cut-out, to break circuit at 3,606 to 4,000 amperes. The conductor was of steel, 4 square inches in section, supported on porcelain insulators. There were no feeders, and the return circuit was through the rails, which were bonded. At each station there was a crossover road. The conductor was broken at these points, and the collector bridged across over the main rails without breaking circuit.

It was necessary that the cars should be of the double-bogie type; it was, therefore, difficult to design motors to give the power necessary on standard bogie frames. Finally a type was adopted, as patented by Mr. Eickemeyer, which gave complete satisfaction. The motor occupied the front half of the bogie-truck. The weight of the magnets was taken off of the axles by adjustable springs, and the magnets were kept in horizontal position by a lever arm fixed to the bogie-frame. Each car was complete with motor and switchgear to run independently. Two cars were coupled together to form a train.

Either the driving or trailing motor could be plugged out of circuit at will. A Westinghouse air-brake was attached to the car, also the usual hand-brake. The stations were lighted by 50-volt glow-lamps, run off accumulators fixed at the station and charged from the main dynamos.

The efficiency of I.H.P. to E.H.P. on the line was taken with carefully calibrated instruments in the presence of the Engineers. The tests extended over 3½ hours. The mean value of seven tests of No. 1 Engine gave 88 per cent. I.H.P. to E.H.P. Curves were given of the power consumed during an experimental run of one train completing 51 miles in 24 minutes, 57 seconds, and 23 minutes, 47 seconds, with stops of 25 seconds at each station. The power required was 44.4 I.H.P. and 46 E.H.P. respectively. To compare this with actual running, curves were given from daily log-sheets showing the effects on the generating station of the alteration to the train service. The advantage of a large number of trains in pulling down the maximum current per train was apparent. With seven trains this was twice, and with twelve trains only 1½ times the average current per train. With twelve trains running, the average demand for power continuously was 37 E.H.P. per train.

A comparison of coal used when the train service varied was given. During April and part of May seven trains were running at one time, and the coal used was 22.5 lbs. per train mile. From June to October there had been a 5 minute service from 9 a.m. to 5-30 p.m. The coal used per train mile for the four months of June, July, August and September, was 17.8 lbs., or making allowance for charging batteries, say I7 lbs. per train mile. The price of the Lancashire slack, which was used till the latter part of August, was 5s. 10d. per ton, but since that date, owing to the strike, the price for coal from various sources had varied up to 17s. 6d. per ton. Under the agreement the contractors had to run the service of trains for 3½d. per train mile, on a full service of 2,400 miles per day, but as only five and one eighths miles of line were open, they received 4d. per train mile, and for current to charge lighting batteries, 7d. per Board of Trade Unit. Figures were given of the actual working costs for July, August and September, 1893, which were 3.44, 3.70, and 4.07 pence per mile respectively. The increased cost of running for August and September was fully accounted for in the item of coal, and as the railway company had not employed as frequent a service as at first anticipated (this being only 1,350 miles per day) the figures showed most favourably, it being evident that, with coal at an average value, the line could be run at a cost well within that guaranteed by the contractors.