I don't know if anyone can help with this?
Ken
--- Begin Forwarded Message ---
Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1999 15:40:02 +0000
From: Peter Northover <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Rails
At the Materials Science-based Research Group of the Department of
Materials, University of Oxford we have initiated a one-year research
project in association with the National Railway Museum to
characterise 19th century railway rails. The project is something of a
pilot to an intention to take a wider look at the engineering
materials of the Industrial Revolution and its aftermath. Rails over a
convenient source of well-dated examples of a basic product which can
also be compared or contrasted with the contemporary technical
literature. An important aspect of this will be a focus on the early
use of steel for rails and then the change to eutectoid steels. We
expect also from railway company records to be able to identify the
works which produced at least some of the rails we examine.
The first few samples we have examined are already informative. One
case is that hints we have had from elsewhere of the quality of
wrought iron of the mid-19th century are confirmed. This is that it is
very slaggy, some samples probably containing 10% by volume of slag,
with pieces spalled out of the head of the rail.
If any list-members can help us with:-
1) Finding 19th century rails that can be sampled (a small section
of 10mm a side or less will suffice although we would like to look at
some complete cross-sections.
2) Identifying ironworks known to have supplied railway companies
3) Helping us with documented examples of broken rails - we do not
have time during the year to pursue as much documentary evidence as we
would like.
Please reply on- or off-line as you wish.
Yours,
Peter Northover
-------------------
Peter Northover
[log in to unmask]
--- End Forwarded Message ---
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Ken Hamilton
Department of Archaeological Sciences
University of Bradford
Richmond Road
Bradford BD7 1DP
West Yorkshire UK
(01274) 235906
http://www.student.brad.ac.uk/kchamil1/
http://www.geocities.com/Nashville/Rodeo/2122/
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