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(last edited July 20, 2005) Front Page | Recent Changes | Title Index | User Preferences | Random Page | HelpDuring the early 19th century various attempts were made to get away from the concept of vehicle brakes which had to be individually controlled and provide a train brake with one point of control. A scheme of 1840 had a chain which ran along the train to the guard's position at the rear where it was wound round a drum. To apply the brake the drum was lowered until it touched an axle, causing it to rotate and tighten the chain. Levers connected to the chain applied the brakes. Variations of this idea all suffered from the problem of breakages and the effects on the brake chain caused by the compressing of the couplings between vehicles.
In addition, as railways developed during the mid 18th century, there were a number of accidents caused by trains becoming uncoupled (a breakaway) or just failing to stop. Sometimes, breakaways ran down a grade and collided with the following train or trains became parted and the second half ran into the front half after the crew had stopped it because they had noticed the uncoupling.
Some form of safeguard against these problems was needed and various ideas were put forward to provide brakes on every vehicle (so-called continuous brakes) and to control them from the locomotive. Various methods were tried, including ropes, chains and pipes running along the length of the train until it was decided to hold a competition at Newark, Lincolnshire in the UK in 1875 to find the best practical solution.
