Compound Locomotives

Written by the J. T. Van Riemsdijk, Keeper of Mechanical Engineering at the British Science Museum (who was also the mastermind behind the establishment of the National Railway Museum in York), this is the definitive work on the origin and development of the compound locomotive. Based on a series of three lectures originally given to the Newcomen Society, it has been developed into a through exploration and explanation of the use of one charge of steam to expand two valves. The author explains why, despite its technical superiority, it was only used in a minority of locomotives. He then illustrates its development over 100 years in countries around the world. With over 200 photos, line drawings, Appendices, bibliography and index.