7 JULY 1923, Page 28

Timothy Hackworth and the Locomotive. By Robert Young. (The Locomotive

Publishing Co., Ltd. 21s. net.) Timothy Hackworth and the Locomotive. By Robert Young. (The Locomotive Publishing Co., Ltd. 21s. net.)

The first locomotive that ran satisfactorily was built by Timothy Hackworth. Previously boilers had always burst, engines had refused to go, or after a start, promising but slow, everything had unreasonably broken down. Industrial com- panies were tiring of these continual mishaps and there seemed to be thorough justification for those who held that the whole attempt must result in failure and that horses were the only economical means of haulage. An expositor of Hackworth's inventions need not belittle the wok of others ; and, indeed, Mr. Young gives full space to all who helped in the perfection of the locomotive. But undoubtedly Hackworth is equalled in profusion and soundness of effort only by Richard Trevithick and George Stephenson. Mr. Young's book is not very systematically arranged ; but it is well written and admirably illustrated.