Railway

Railway

Relating to the infrastructure developed for the transport of trains.

Contributors in Railway

Railway

A valve provided to prevent priming in locomotive boilers. It is normally fitted on the firebox backplate near the water level of the boiler and used to remove a small amount of water at that level ...

Blowdown valve, manual

Transportation; Railway

Some locomotives were fitted with a manually operated blowdown valve positioned in the centre of the firebox throat plate just above the foundation ring. This valve was controlled from a lever in the ...

Boiler mountings

Transportation; Railway

Generic term for attachments to locomotive boilers e.g. safety valves, dome, chimney, clacks, whistle etc.

Boss

Transportation; Railway

The central, solid part of a railway wheel, which is pressed onto the axle.

Brake block

Transportation; Railway

The friction material which is pressed against the tyre of the wheel during braking. Early brake blocks were wooden and later became cast iron as train speeds and weights increased. More recently, ...

Brake rigging

Transportation; Railway

The rods and levers which connect the brake cylinder to the brake blocks on each wheel.

Brakes, types of

Transportation; Railway

Steam locomotives originally had no brakes, they were braked from a hand operated tread brake on the tender. In 1833, Stephenson fitted a steam-operated brake to his Patentee locomotive design, but ...