Atmospheric Railways
In 1841 Joseph published A Treatise on the Adaptation of Atmospheric Pressure to the Purposes of Locomotion on Railways As a result he was invited by the directors of the London and Croydon Railway to supply equipment to operate their trains on this principle between London Bridge and Epsom. The first stage of this project (between Croydon and Forest Hill) opened in January 1846, but the system of propulsion encountered many problems. The London and Croydon Railway became a part of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway in July, and the new board of directors invited Samuda to operate the new atmospheric railway in return for a fixed fee. However, once further propulsion problems became apparent in the second section of line to be equipped (between Forest Hill and New Cross during 1847 the atmospheric method of propulsion was abandoned and the equipment sold.
Read more about this topic: Joseph D'Aguilar Samuda
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