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ON Thursday week this very novel and interesting portion of the Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee Railway, extending between Granton and liurtitisiand, was opened with great success. In a trial passage, upwards of twenty loaded railway waggons, and a passenger carriage, in which were several of the directors and their friends, were pnt on board at Burntisland, ferried across the Forth, and drawn ashore at Granton With great ease and speed. The vessel, or ship, was only half loaded, there being no mere carriages at hand to put on board. With a strong wind from the north-west, and a heavy swell in consequence down the Forth, some inconvenience was expected but the Floating Railway went along as smoothly and steadily as if the sea had been placid and calm.
This mode of crossing the Forth without changing carriages, and in so stable a vessel as the Floating Railway, to expected to render this the most agreeable route to and from the north of Scotland. Goods, minerals, and live stock will new be conveyed across the ferry without removal from the trucks, and, if found necessary, passengers could aloe, wills the greatest ease and safety, be taken over without change of carriage; thus, in a manner, establishing a continuous line of railway from London to Aberdeen.
To give an idea of the undertaking and the difficulties connected with it, it should be explained that the tide rises about twenty feet, no that a vessel on a level with the quay
ii.
FLOATING RAILWAY ACROSS THE FORTH, BETWEEN GRANTON AND BURNTISLAND.
at 111gb water would be a long way below it at low water. Some means must, therefore, keel of the vessel to clear the surface of the slip. These girders are raised and lowered be planned for potting the waggons on board. Hydraulic or steam cranes, we believe, on the arrival and departure of the vessel, by means of a winch on each side of a staging were proposed to lift and lower them; but this was considered to be much too slow a 18 feet high, erected across the platform. The whole platform, with the girders is raised process, expensive, and apt to damage the carriages. A floating bridge was also suggested: and lowered to suit the several heights of the tide, by means of a small stationary steam- that is, a set of girders and beams, with the one end hinged on shore, and the other end engine, which Is also employed in moving the trucks OS’ and on board the vessel. The attached to a float, to rise and fall with the tide. This, it was deemed, would have drums and gearing in connection therewith are eo arranged as to work the platform, or answered remarkably well, were the water always smooth; but, in stormy weather, it load and discharge the vessel, with the greatest faeility. The vessel can be folly loaded in would have required protection from expensive piers and jetties. The method which has about five minutes with from thirty to forty waggons, and discharged in absut the same been adopted with so much success, was designed and executed under the instruction of time, by the two stationary engines ashore.
Mr Booth, the manager of the line. The Floating Railway—Levjjhis. as the vessel Is called—Is peculiarly constructed. It The Railway may be thus briefly described :—Alongside the piers at Burntlsland and being necessary for the waggons to lit all along the deck, it was thought advisable to keep
Granton is an incline or slip, constructed of masonry, upon which are laid two lines of the engines apart, so as to leave tho centre clear, and allow the waggons to pass to the rails, the sane gauge as the main lino. Upon this incline is placed a heavy moveable stern, for the vessel is so low that the paddle-shafts are several feet above deck; and, had platform, 61 feet in length, by 21 feet in breadth, framed of timber, and resting upon these crossed, as In the usual plan of engines, It would have been a barrier, and only half sixteen wheels. To the front of the platform are attached, by means of universal joints, of the deck could be filled with carriages at a time. By the present arrangement, more. four malleable iron girders, 35 feet long, constructed of boiler-plate, spanning the requi- over, of the one engine driving only one paddle, and the other engine the oilier paddle. site distance from the platform to the vessel, and affording sufficient depth of water for the the vessel can be put in any position required, without ropes or assistance of any kind
from the shore. This is beautifully managed, by working one of the engines ahead, and the Other astern.
It must be very satisfactory to the directors and managers of the Edinburgh, Perils, and Dundee Railway Company, to have their labours brought to so successful a termination. We understand that it was no sooner advertised that goods would be taken across the Forth by the above company without breaking bulk, than 400 tons of turnips were offered them as a commencement.
The Railway and the engines were constructed by Mr. Robert Rapier, of Glasgow. Notwithstanding the firm arid construction is very different from sea-going vessels generally, the Whole in finished in the most complete manner, and reflects the highest credit on the abilities of that eminent engineer.
A few of the gentlemen connected with the line, along with the contractors, celebrated the anepiciotse event Of the completion of the floating platforms, by dining together in the evening at the Granton Hotel. The duties of chairman were discharged In the most able manner by Hr. John Anderson, the efficient contractor for the working of the ferries.
In ihe accompanying Engraving is represented the Floating Railway lying along tb east olde 01 Granton Pier, with the landing-slip and apparatus drawing off a train.