Fodens, Limited.
Page 17
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Exhibit :—One Five-ton and One Three-ton 'Wagon.
The Foden steam wagons owned by the Eastern Motor Wagon Company are familiar objects ii our busy Lon(don streets. This company now possesses 29 of these fine machines, which (continue to give corr plete satisfaction to everybody who is served by them, and to the men who drive them. Foriens, Limited, of the Elworth Works, Sandbach, ret ently .received an order from this London company for a 3oth vehicle, and this machine—a three-ton wagon, fitted with solid-rubber tires—forms one )f the exhibits of the well-known Sandbach company.
The other exhibit, the five-ton standard wagon, which ha; been built to the (order of Messrs. Robilson's, millers, of fGreenwich, is the fouth similar wagon -twhich that firm will t ow own.
The general design of these wagons is 'thoroughly standardised, and they are 'being built in huge numbers ; the company's works art kept fully occupied in its endeavours to meet the demand for its well-tried machines. The five-ton wagon can comfortably deal with that load on its own platform, and also take a further two tons, on a trailer, up an incline of one in seven. The Foden wagon has proved itself very economical, in both fuel and water consumptions, and, although the wellproportioned locomotive boiler may have some bearing on this point, there can be no doubt that it is due, in a great measure, •to the excellent design of engine, the cylinders of which are also steam-jacketed, and to the general high-class workmanship which is bestowed on every part of the methanism.
A feed-water strainer is fitted on all these wagons, and this, together with the two injectors which are fitted, are placed low down, so that they are always flooded with water. The strainer takes the form of a rectangular box in which a vertical gauze partition is fitted; this partition intercepts all solid matter, and'i.it can easily be removed for cleaning purposes.
An exhaust muffler and superheater is provided in the smoke box, in such a position that it does not interfere with the easy cleaning of the fire tubes. This useful fitting not only tends to equalise and to silence the separate puffs of exhaust steam, but, at the same time, to render the exhaust practically invisible.
The Foden wagon embodies all the best features of traction-engine design, in which branch of engineering Mr. Edwin Foden has had most valuable ex. perience.
The system of transmission that employed on this make of wagon con. sists of two alternative sets of machine. cut sliding spur gears, and a lone. chain which takes the drive from th( second-motion shaft to the solidly-built, live back axle.