An Atmospheric Railway is a railway so called in consequence of the motive power being derived from the pressure of the atmosphere, or from compressed air. The idea of thus obtaining motion was first suggested by the French engineer Papin, about 1700. In 1810, and again in 1827, a Mr. Medhurst published a scheme for 'propelling carriages through a close-fitting air-tight tunnel by forcing in air behind them' and in 1825 a similar project was patented by a Mr. Yallance of Brighton. About 1835 a Mr. H. Pinkus, an American residing in England, patented a pneumatic railway. The carriages were to travel on an open line of rails, along which a cast-iron tube of between 3 and 4 feet diameter was to be laid, having a longitudinal slit from 1 to 2 inches wide and closed by a flexible valve along its upper side, through which a connection could be formed between the leading carriage and a piston working within the tube. This method was improved by Messrs. Clegg and Samuda, who in 1840 tried some experiments on a portion of the West London Railway with sufficient success to induce the government to advance a loan to the Dublin and KingstownRailway Company, for the construction of a pneumatic line from Kingstown to Dalkey. It was opened for passenger traffic at the end of 1843, and was worked for many months. The London and Croydon Company subsequently obtained powers for laying down an atmospheric railway by the side of their other line from London to Croydon, and in experimental trips in 1845 a speed of 30 miles an hour was obtained with sixteen carriages, and of 70 miles an hour with six carriages. But during the intense heat of the summer of 1846 the iron tube frequently became so hot as to melt the composition which sealed the valve, and the line had to be worked by locomotives. The mechanical difficulty of commanding a sufficient amount of rarefaction led to the abandonment of the system for railway purposes. It was revived, however, for the conveyance of letters and
arcels in towns by means of tubes of moderate diameter laid beneath the streets, but not proceeded with. Within offices, however, atmospheric railways or rather pneumatic despatch systems are used notably within the supermarket chain Sainsburys where cash from tills is put into a cylindrical container which is closed and inserted into a pressurised pipe system for conveyance to the cash office. Research Atmospheric Railway
Arnold Ruge was a German democrat. He was born in 1802 at Bergen and died in 1880. He was imprisoned for six years as a political offender in connection with the Burschenschaften societies in 1824. He later became deputy for Breslau in the FrankfortParliament, and leader of the extreme Left in 1849. In consequence of the Leipzig disturbances he had to take refuge in England in 1850, when he started the Democratic Committee in conjunction with Mazzini and Ledru-Rollin. He afterwards maintained himself at Brighton by teaching and translating. Research Arnold Ruge
George IV (George Frederick Augustus, nicknamed The First Gentleman of Europe) was King of Great Britain and Ireland. He was born in 1762 and died in 1830. George IV was 48 when he became Regent in 1811. He had secretly and illegally married a Roman Catholic, Mrs Fitzherbert. In 1795 he officially married PrincessCaroline of Brunswick, but the marriage was a failure and he tried unsuccessfully to divorce her after his accession in 1820. Their only childPrincessCharlotte died giving birth to a stillborn child. An outstanding, if extravagant, collector and builder, George IV acquired many important works of art, built the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, and transformed WindsorCastle and Buckingham Palace. George's fondness for pageantry helped to develop the ceremonial side of monarchy.
After his father's long illness, George resumed royal visits; he visited Hanover in 1821 which had not been visited by its ruler since the 1750s, and Ireland and Scotland over the next couple of years. Beset by debts, George was in a weak position in relation to his Cabinet of ministers. His concern for royal prerogative was sporadic; when the Prime Minister LordLiverpool fell ill in 1827, George at one stage suggested that ministers should choose Liverpool's successor. In 1829, George IV was forced by his ministers, much against his will and his interpretation of his coronationoath, to agree to Catholic Emancipation. By reducing religious discrimination, this emancipation enabled the monarchy to play a more national role. George's profligacy and marriage difficulties meant that he never regained much popularity, and he spent his final years in seclusion at Windsor, dying at the age of 67. Research George IV
Henry Fawcett was an English politician and economist. He was born in 1833 at Salisbury and died in 1884. He was educated at Cambridge, studied law for a while at the Middle Temple, but soon renounced it. In 1858, when out partridge shooting, an left him totally blind. Undiscouraged, however, by his disability he gave his attention to economic studies.
In 1863 he was elected to the chair of political economy at Cambridge. In 1865 he was elected member of Parliament for Brighton, which he represented until the general election of 1874, when he was elected for Hackney. He became Postmaster-general in the second Gladstone administration, and effected many reforms in his department.
In 1883 he was made LordRector of Glasgow University. Amongst his principal writings are: A Manual of Political Economy, Lectures on the Economic Position of the British Labourer, and articles on Indian finances. Research Henry Fawcett
Sir John Fowler was an English civil engineer. He was born in 1817 near Sheffield and died in 1898. Originally a pupil of the engineer of the Sheffield waterworks, he was subsequently engaged on the London and Brightonrailway, and in 1842 returned to the north and became resident engineer of the Stockton and Hartlepool line. In 1844 he set up in London as consulting engineer, and was connected with various important undertakings. He was for many years engineering adviser to the Khedive of Egypt, and with Sir Benjamin Baker was chiefly responsible for the design of the Forth Bridge, opened in 1890. Sir John, who was much interested in railway improvements and dock-construction, was President of the Council of the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1866, was created a KCMG in 1885, and a baronet in 1890. Research John Fowler
John Nash was a British architect. He was born in 1752 and died in 1835. He designed many country mansions, planned much of Regent's Street and Regent's Park, converted Buckingham House into Buckingham Palace and designed the arch which was originally intended for it, but which is now known as Marble Arch. He also designed Hyde Park and the Brighton Pavilion. Research John Nash
Samuel Prior ('The children's policeman') was an English policeman. He was born in 1862 and died in 1944. An orphan at the age of nine he worked for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway, before joining the metropolitan police in 1888. During his twenty-five years with the Metropolitan police he championed the cause of abused and exploited children, being responsible for 600 cases of rescuing children and having them placed in industrial schools where they could learn a trade. After his retirement from the police he worked with the Children's Aid Society. Research Samuel Prior
William Benjamin Carpenter was an English physiologist. He was born in 1813 and died in 1885. He studied medicine at University College, London, and at Edinburgh University, subsequently he held several lectureships in London, and ultimately became registrar at London University from 1856 until 1879. He wrote several well-known works on physiology: Principles of General and Comparative Physiology; Principles of Mental Physiology; Principles of HumanPhysiology; a Manual of Zoology, etc. He took a leading part in the expeditions sent out by government in 1868-70 for deep-sea exploration in the North Atlantic. He was chosen president of the British Association at Brighton in 1872. Research William Carpenter
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Atmospheric Railway
