{{Short description|Horse-powered locomotive of 1850s Britain}} {{italic title}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}} {{Use British English|date=July 2015}} {{Infobox locomotive | name = ''Impulsoria'' | powertype = Horse | image = Impuls2.jpg | caption = ''Impulsoria'' in 1850 | builder = | builddate = 1850 | whytetype = {{whyte|2-2-0}} | gauge = | designer = [[Clemente Masserano]] | locoweight = | length = | height = | driverdiameter = {{convert|8|ft|m|abbr=on}} | maxspeed = {{convert|20|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} | poweroutput = 2-4 [[Horsepower|bhp]] (in steady state) | tractiveeffort = | operator = [[London and South Western Railway]] | officialname = | withdrawndate = | disposition = }}
The '''''Impulsoria''''' was a [[locomotive]] constructed in 1850 that was powered via a gearbox by one-two to four horses on a treadmill following a design by Clemente Masserano. It undertook trials in London in 1850 and was exhibited at [[The Great Exhibition]] in 1851.
==Description== The invention of a successful mobile treadmill powered locomotive was made by Clemente Masserano from [[Pignerol]] in [[Italy]]. The idea was not new, but previous attempts in England, France, and Spain were unsuccessful.<ref name="eng"/> Using Masserano's designs, Impulsoria was built in Italy and transported to England.<ref name="eng"/> A syndicate was formed and it was trialled at the [[Nine Elms railway station|Nine Elms terminus]] of the South Western Railway line in London where it successfully completed a hill climb. The trials were supported by the directors of the [[London and South Western Railway|South Western Railway]] and assisted by their Chief Engineer [[John Viret Gooch|John Gooch]]. The device was said to be much cheaper to run than a steam locomotive. The device allowed a steam locomotive to be replaced by this vehicle, which used the power of two or four horses that had to walk up a treadmill, called a ''pedivella'' by Masserano.<ref name="eng"/> The power was transferred to the wheels by chains<ref name="lucy">{{cite news|title=Can you help with information about inventor's masterpiece?|url=https://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/news/news/help-information-inventor-s-masterpiece/article-1870077-detail/article.html|accessdate=18 December 2010|newspaper=This is Somerset|date=23 February 2010}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and notably the wheels had roller-bearings<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ellis |first=Hamilton |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eRHMnQEACAAJ&q=The+South+Western+Railway+by+C+Hamilton+Ellis |page=56|title=The South Western Railway, by Hamilton Ellis |date=1956 |publisher=Allen & unwin |language=en}}</ref> and a gearbox that allowed it to climb. It was said to be able to pull 30 wagons up an incline and could be used with two or four horses.<ref name="ellis">{{cite book|last=Ellis|first=Cuthbert|title=The South Western Railway: its mechanical history and background, 1838–1922|year=1956|publisher=Allen and Unwin|pages=256}}</ref> [[File:B268828 Masseranos-Patent-Impulsoria.jpg|thumb|left|A sketch of Masserano's Impulsoria]] The gear box allowed the horses to always walk at their best speed whilst the vehicle could then have a range of speeds and torques. Because of the gears, the top speed was not limited to the top speed of the horses. The gearbox allowed the horses to drive the vehicle in forward as well as reverse directions, and it was also possible to disengage the drive so that the vehicle could stop whilst the horses continued to walk up the treadmill.
During trials at [[Nine Elms railway station|Nine-Elms terminus]] of the [[London and South Western Railway| South Western Railway]], the two-horse ''Impulsoria'' travelled at {{convert|7|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} pulling one wagon within the station. It was thought that a final version would reach {{convert|15|to|20|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} and would outrun a steam engine.<ref name="eng"/>
==Cost and efficiency== The efficiency of the device was compared favourably with existing steam locomotives, which were thought to waste too much energy. The cost of operating the ''Impulsoria'' was estimated at two shillings per day per horse. During that [[eight-hour day]] it was estimated that the horses could propel ''Impulsoria'' eight times over a thirty-mile route.<ref name="eng">{{cite book|title=The Engineer and machinist|year=1850|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IKkEAAAAQAAJ&dq=Impulsoria&pg=PA184|page=184}}</ref>
==Exhibition== An Italian Professor of Philosophy, Dr [[Andrea Crestadoro]], improved the design of this unusual device, and later took out related patents in 1852.<ref name="svs">{{cite web|title=The Impulsoria|url=https://www.svsfilm.com/nineelms/imp.htm|publisher=svsfilm|accessdate=18 December 2010}}</ref> With his improvements, he exhibited it at [[The Great Exhibition]] at the [[The Crystal Palace|Crystal Palace]] in 1851.<ref name="svs"/> He subsequently took an interest in bibliography and became a librarian in Manchester. A similar vehicle, also called ''Impulsoria'', was exhibited in 1853 in Germany and said to be the property of a Mr. Steinheil.<ref name="day">{{cite book|last=Day|first=John R.|title=More Unusual Railways|year=1960|url=https://archive.org/stream/tramwaysactvict00britgoog/tramwaysactvict00britgoog_djvu.txt|accessdate=19 December 2010|page=33|publisher=New York, Macmillan }}</ref>
==See also== * [[Cycloped]], an English horse-powered locomotive that competed in the [[Rainhill trials]] in October 1829. * [[Flying Dutchman (horse-powered locomotive)|Flying Dutchman]], an 1830 American horse-powered locomotive.
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Impulsoria}} [[Category:Individual locomotives of Great Britain]] [[Category:2-2-0 locomotives]] [[Category:Railway locomotives introduced in 1850]] [[Category:Unique locomotives]]