Hanscotte centre-rail system

{{Short description|Railroad braking system}}

{{Short description|Railroad braking system}}

The '''Hanscotte system''' was a design for railway locomotives and track using, in addition to the conventional load-bearing driving wheels, pairs of horizontal driving wheels mounted underneath the locomotive and pressing inwards upon a central rail, to improve [[adhesion]] and [[Traction (engineering)|traction]]. The engineer {{ill|Jules Hanscotte|fr}} developed the system while working for [[Société de construction des Batignolles]] (SCB), Paris, in about 1904.

The '''Hanscotte system''' was a design for railway locomotives and track using, in addition to the conventional load-bearing driving wheels, pairs of horizontal driving wheels mounted underneath the locomotive and pressing inwards upon a central rail, to improve [[adhesion]] and [[Traction (engineering)|traction]]. The engineer [[:fr:Jules Hanscotte|Jules Hanscotte]] developed the system while working for [[Société de construction des Batignolles]] (SCB), Paris, in about 1904.

SCB intended to use the system for braking very heavy trains, but the most notable deployment was on the [[Chemin de Fer du Puy-de-Dôme]], a tourist light railway between [[Clermont Ferrand]] and the summit of the [[Puy de Dôme|Puy-de-Dôme]], in 1906.

SCB intended to use the system for braking very heavy trains, but the most notable deployment was on the [[Chemin de Fer du Puy-de-Dôme]], a tourist light railway between [[Clermont Ferrand]] and the summit of the [[Puy de Dôme|Puy-de-Dôme]], in 1906.

==Chemin de Fer du Puy-de-Dôme==

==Chemin de Fer du Puy-de-Dôme==

In 1904 the company [[Fives-Lille]] of [[Lille]], northern France, took an interest in the Hanscotte system. Their first customer was the promoter {{ill|Jean Claret|fr}}, who bought a single [[Tram#Electric|electric tramcar]] and some other rolling stock for his short, steep line of the {{ill|Tramway de La Bourboule|fr}},{{cite news |last1= |title=Tramway électrique avec mécanisme d'adhérence à roues horizontales et rail central en service à La Bourboule |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6508519q/f1.image.r=la%20bourboule%20tramwayhanscotteg%C3%A9nie?rk=21459;2 |work=Le Génie civil : revue générale des industries françaises et étrangères |date=22 October 1904 |page=402 |language=fr}} which ran from the town centre of [[La Bourboule]] to the lower end of the {{ill|Funiculaire de La Bourboule|fr}}. The enterprise was successful, and Claret used Hanscotte-equipped Fives-Lille steam locomotives for his ambitious project of a tourist light railway from the centre of [[Clermont Ferrand]] to the summit of the spectacular [[Puy de Dôme|Puy-de-Dôme]]. For the first {{convert|2.5|km|mi|abbr=off}} from the city centre as far as Les Quatre Routes, [[Chamalières]], conventional two-rail track, (electrified in 1911) was used.{{cite web |title=Puy de Dôme et Chaîne des Puys: Création de la ligne de tramway de Clermont-Ferrand au sommet du puy de Dôme - 1907 |url=https://volcan.puy-de-dome.fr/puy-de-dome/histoire.html |website=volcan.puy-de-dome.fr |publisher=[[:fr:Conseil départemental du Puy-de-Dôme|Conseil départemental du Puy-de-Dôme]]|language=fr|quotation=le train du puy de Dôme a déjà une fonction touristique}}

In 1904 the company [[Fives-Lille]] of [[Lille]], northern France, took an interest in the Hanscotte system. Their first customer was the promoter [[:fr:Jean Claret|Jean Claret]], who bought a single [[Tram#Electric|electric tramcar]] and some other rolling stock for his short, steep line of the [[:fr:Tramway de La Bourboule|La Bourboule Tramway]],{{cite news |last1= |title=Tramway électrique avec mécanisme d'adhérence à roues horizontales et rail central en service à La Bourboule |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6508519q/f1.image.r=la%20bourboule%20tramwayhanscotteg%C3%A9nie?rk=21459;2 |work=Le Génie civil : revue générale des industries françaises et étrangères |date=22 October 1904 |page=402 |language=fr}} which ran from the town centre of [[La Bourboule]] to the lower end of the [[:fr:Funiculaire de La Bourboule| La Bourboule Funicular]]. The enterprise was successful, and Claret used Hanscotte-equipped Fives-Lille steam locomotives for his ambitious project of a tourist light railway from the centre of [[Clermont Ferrand]] to the summit of the spectacular [[Puy de Dôme|Puy-de-Dôme]]. For the first {{convert|2.5|km|mi|abbr=off}} from the city centre as far as Les Quatre Routes, [[Chamalières]], conventional two-rail track, (electrified in 1911) was used.{{cite web |title=Puy de Dôme et Chaîne des Puys: Création de la ligne de tramway de Clermont-Ferrand au sommet du puy de Dôme - 1907 |url=https://volcan.puy-de-dome.fr/puy-de-dome/histoire.html |website=volcan.puy-de-dome.fr |publisher=[[:fr:Conseil départemental du Puy-de-Dôme|Conseil départemental du Puy-de-Dôme]]|language=fr|quotation=le train du puy de Dôme a déjà une fonction touristique}}

The line never made money and it closed in 1925 because of competition from a new autobus route.

The line never made money and it closed in 1925 because of competition from a new autobus route.