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your attention to the fact that £23 7s. 2d. was paid by this Government for inspection fee on each of these locomotives.
I have, &c.,
The Resident-General,
C. EDWIN SPOONER,
General Manager, Railways,
Federated Malay States.
Federated Malay States.
Enclosure 2 in No. 29.
Federated Malay States Railways.
(No. G. M. R. 1046/01.)
GENTLEMEN,
General Manager's Office, Kuala Lumpur,
Selangor, December 9, 1901. I HAVE the honour to forward, for your information, a report by the Locomotive Superintendent on defects found to exist in the three locomotives, No. 25, 26 and 27, recently received from England for the Perak Railways, and would particularly draw your attention to his paragraph five.
2. These engines cost this Government £2,624 a piece, and the amount paid for inspection at 14 per cent. amounted to £23 7s. 2d. each engine.
3. I am sending you a case containing the following defective parts:—
(1) Brass side-rod bushes, marked A, engine No. 25.
(2) Cradle suspension pin, B, engine No. 25.
Pinch bar (c), engine No. 25.
(4) Spring buckles and two spring top plates, D, engine 26.
(5) Spring buckle, marked E, engine No. 27.
(6) Spring buckle, marked F, engine No. 27.
Messrs. Gregory, Eyles and Waring,
Consulting Engineers,
London.
I have, &c.,
C. E. SPOONER,
General Manager, Railways,
Federated Malay States.
Report on Locomotives.
Engine No,
Maker
No.
Requisition 1 R.
65
The centres having been corrected, new bushes put in the side rods, and new taper pins fitted, the engine was sent on an eighty miles' trial trip, no further defect was observed beyond the heating in the bearings to be expected in a roughly-fitted engine, and it was put on a goods train; the heating continued, gradually becoming less. It was then found that the springs worked out of the buckles every journey, and the buckles had to be replaced, being too loose; this is due in a measure to the size and shape of the buckle; there is not sufficient length of metal in the sides to provide con- traction sufficient to grip the spring firmly. "Some of the buckles were very badly made, the sides differing -inch in thickness. The engine was next put on a passenger train, and for some time worked satisfactorily: it was afterwards found that the bogie bearings heated persistently in spite of every precaution, and the engine was lifted for examination. It was then discovered that one cradle suspension pin was divided longi- tudinally and that another was cracked in the same direction, the pins are sent here- with for inspection (marked B.).
The engine was again sent out, and after some time an eccentric strap suddenly heated and had to be disconnected, it was then that the driver, using his pinch bar to shift his engine off the dead centre, found the bar doubled up in his hands, and he was helpless. One bar is sent herewith for inspection (marked C.).
3. Seeing the condition of engine No. 25, Nos. 26 and 27 were overhauled before being sent out, and I append lists of the defects in all the three engines, and the remedies adopted.
4. I have to direct your special attention to two spring buckles and two spring top plates taken out of No. 26 engine (marked D.), and one spring buckle taken out of No. 27 engine (marked E.), these are all badly welded and have never been used. I have never seen worse workmanship in a locomotive. A bogie spring buckle failed in No. 27 engine during the second day's work, the cause was a bad weld, it is sent herewith for inspection (marked F.).
5. Much of the workmanship in these engines is very rough, and one would say it was incredible that a builder of good repute would put some of the materials and workmanship I have named in a locomotive, and that a qualified Inspector would them.
These engines could not have been properly tested before being shipped.
ņass
It is usual to specify that a locomotive (when built by a firm) will be required to run not less than 1,000 miles without showing any defect in materials or workman- ship; should any defect (not caused by an accident) be discovered the builders will be held responsible; and I think a clause embodying the preceding should be added to future contracts. The defects in these engines would have been avoided had ordinary care been exercised in building and inspection.
I have, &c.,
The Resident Engineer for Railways,
Taiping.
T. SCOTT GARDNER, Locomotive Engineer, Ipoh.
SIR,
25
3,007
Indent 54/99.
26
3,008
Contract 27.
27
3,09
I HAVE the honour to report as follows:-
1. Various parts of these locomotives arrived between May 1st and July 29th, but it was not till 21st May that one engine had been received complete, and on 29th July the other two engines had been received complete.
2. Number 25 engine was erected in the usual way and given a trial trip, but the engine only ran two miles when it had to be stopped owing to the excessive heating of the side-rod bushes. The side rods were taken down and the engine returned to shed. It was then found that there was a difference of 1-16 inch between the centres of the driving and trailing wheels on the L. and R. sides, and that the brass side-rod bushes were slack in the rods, one was so loose that it fell out when the taper pin was withdrawn, the taper had been cut away to permit its insertion past the "bush: it is sent with this report for inspection (marked A.), ·
Defects.
ENGINE NO. 25.
Repairs.
(1.) 1/16" difference between centres Adjusted in axle boxes.
of wheels on R. and L. sides.
(2.) Bad workmanship in spring New buckles made.
buckles, sides differing in thick-
ness, buckles loose on springs,
(3.) 1 bogie cradle suspension pin New pins made.
broken in two pieces longi-
tudinally, another cracked in
the same way.
(4.) Coupling rod bushes slack in New bushes put in, also new pins.
rods, taper pins badly fitted,
very bad workmanship.
(5.) Pinch bars made of iron and so
weak as to be useless.
New bars made.
1922
39
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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