A LUBRICATION RAILWAY: but the rats ate it!

One of the most unique stories with a strong lubrication flavour is that of the Kingstown and Dalkey Railway which functioned with apparent success in 1844. This was really an atmospheric railway invented and then patented in 1840 by Samuel Clegg and Joseph Sands. The principle of this railway propulsion was simple. A fifteen inch tube was anchored firmly between the lines and there was a continuous running slot in the top of the tube covered with flats of well‐greased leather secured in position with iron clamping plates to the tube. Inside the tube there was a close fitting and well lubricated piston, and this was connected to the draught coach of the train, so that when the piston was propelled inside the tube the train moved with it. The greased and weighted leather flaps on the top of the slotted tube rendered it airtight from without.