Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796

Chapter 507 019 The Railway Tycoon of Imperial Village

When recruiting workers, Count Vorontsov was naturally in charge in the UK. His pro-British identity made it very convenient for him to move around in London and surrounding areas.

Moreover, there were many Scottish entrepreneurs who went to Russia to run something and became nobles and made a fortune there.

Therefore, when Count Vorontsov was recruiting workers, he did not expect it to be so smooth.

When Soloviev arrived at Imperial Village, he met the first engineer who came up with a mature design.

"Richard, you are too strong, stronger than us officers."

"Count, I used to be the wrestling champion of Cornwall."

"No wonder a big guy like you can design this kind of locomotive."

When Soloviev spoke, there were some puns. He had read the report from the court before coming. Trevithick's locomotive was indeed bulky, and it was only after many tests at the Lugansk factory that it was allowed to be used in a small area inside the mine.

Therefore, this locomotive is bulky anyway.

"But it can be improved. You can come and see that after using the high-pressure steam engine, as long as the safety valve is set, its reliability can be improved to some extent."

"That's right," Solovyov was quite curious about these early locomotives. After all, the trains he could see at that time, even the locomotives at the end of the 19th century, were already relatively mature models. This kind of early things that seemed unsafe were relatively rare. "But I heard that there was an explosion during the test in Lugansk. In addition, did your design also have an accident when it was in the UK?"

"Yes, but this should be caused by improper operation, and the problem is not in the design of the vehicle."

"We should also thank Mr. Watt. In order to ensure his patent for the vacuum steam engine, he made you suffer and came to Russia. Of course, this test on the Tsarskoye Selo track should be relatively smooth. After all, the fireman for you is our expert. A carefully selected Scottish worker, at least you will have no problem communicating with him. "

"Count, but you speak fluent English."

"It's just that I always speak in a roundabout way. You will know it after spending more time with me. In addition, His Majesty said that if your design can be successfully implemented in the Imperial Village, you will be awarded the Order of St. Vladimir of the Russian Empire and the hereditary noble status of the sixth-class civil servant."

"You didn't get a title?"

"The nobles here, in fact, are not necessarily hereditary nobles on the list. And if your son is willing to be a military engineer in the future, the military is a hereditary noble at any level. "

Trevthick also knew that in Russia, if a hereditary noble with a military status was a soldier, he would usually be rewarded with a manor, regardless of his background. If he was in England, if it weren't for the help of his father-in-law John Harvey and the famous congressman and engineer David Giddy, Watt's smear would have made him unable to survive.

Speaking of which, his scrapped designs were put into trial operation in Glamorgan, which was a bit unlucky.

Soloviev was also checking the boiler. He was the one who came up with the design concept of the safety valve. However, patents were not taken into consideration in Russia. After all, the railway system was state-owned. Even the first passenger railway, if it could be put into operation smoothly, would be used by the royal family. It was mainly a 50th birthday gift prepared by Alexander for Queen Mother Maria.

"It's just that this can be improved. You can add a flywheel and some transmission devices. I wonder if you can do it."

"I think it will take some time, but it can be done."

"Can you produce a sample in 1810 or 1811?"

Soloviev was still thinking about the war that might come in 1812 and the industrialization of Russia afterwards.

If productivity exceeds the model, it will also force the disintegration of serfdom. He also thinks that it is more convenient to take a train, which is much more comfortable than a horse-drawn carriage, even if there is the sound of rails, noisy environment and poor conditions in the carriage.

"I think it is still okay, but the design needs to be adjusted. Count, are you an engineer general?"

"No, I have been an infantryman since the day I joined the army, and now I am also a major general of infantry."

"It's a pity, you still know a lot about mechanical engineering."

"I talked to a French engineer before, and I also made a steamship, but the sailing ability is limited. After all, sailing on the water is also afraid of strong winds."

However, Trevithick has no interest in ships. After all, his family is a mining engineer, and they are more interested in things on land, so they are willing to make steam locomotives.

But he is not without opponents. Stephenson was also brought to Russia by Count Vorontsov, and also in Lugansk.

It's just that in terms of research and development order and fame, Trevithick's products were taken out first, and he was the first to come out for testing.

These British people were actually very satisfied with their lives in Russia. After all, their whole family's treatment was guaranteed. In addition, there was no guy named James Watt who used his patent for the vacuum steam engine and his first-mover advantage to manipulate the media to attack those who were latecomers.

High-pressure steam engines will also be the mainstream in the future. Although Watt's design is epoch-making, one should also pay attention to one issue, that is, his set of ideas will end here. In the future, it will still be the era of those high-pressure steam engines. Otherwise, where can we provide surging power?

Now is also the season of spring. Although the outside of Petersburg looks muddy, it is also full of vitality.

That's about it. The royal family members came today in full force. Except for Alexandra, who married to Wurttemberg and did not choose to go home to "visit her relatives" while taking refuge, the family is still very complete.

Queen Mother Maria is very particular about pomp and circumstance, and she also dotes on these daughters. Although Catherine is still her favorite, she is still very happy that the two married daughters have returned with grandchildren. She even took Elena's eldest son Paul Frederick to her side to show her doting.

However, after Elena came back, her complexion was not bad. After she got married, although she lived happily in Mecklenburg and her husband and parents-in-law treated her very well, she was always troubled by some diseases. Fortunately, she was not attacked by tuberculosis, which would be a big trouble.

For people of this era, tuberculosis is still very scary.

She was more concerned about her brother-in-law's recent behavior. He even went to Smolny Girls' School to chat with female students. It happened to be Solovyov's sister. Even if she was a countess now, if they were engaged, it would be considered a marriage between the nobles and the commoners. After all, the Solovyov family's title was of a lower grade, and this was a kind of marriage with a gap.

But it was okay. Yulia was a very lively and healthy girl, and she was very tall. It couldn't be said that she was not a good match - after all, her father and brother were also soldiers, and her brother was even a general now.

But Elena also knew Solovyov's "black history". After all, it was her idea to dress up as a woman at first, but she didn't like to play tricks.

Maria's behavior made Elena, the smartest of the sisters, start to worry. This girl has married to Weimar, and it is inevitable that she will over-care for Solovyov. I hope she will not be as absurd as Yekaterina. Recently, she is thinking about marrying Prince Mikhail Dolgorukov. She and Solovyov both have their own families.

Although Solovyov's nickname "Flower General" is more or less a positive or negative evaluation.

However, judging from the fact that Solovyov hid in his home on Lake Ladoga to accompany his pregnant wife Katya, this guy is still very sensible this time, but Maria is also here with her newly born daughter Mary.

I hope the third sister will not make some strange troubles herself. She was more sensible before she got married.

The train has been assembled in Tsarskoye Selo. As the project leader of the steamship and horse-drawn railcar, Solovyov must attend this event and board the steam locomotive.

If there was an accident, he was not too worried. As long as the boiler did not explode, it would still be in time to jump out of the locomotive and take a safe action at the speed of the steam locomotive.

According to Alexander's request, the locomotive had two open carriages in addition to the front, which looked like the small train in the children's park or the sightseeing vehicle in the amusement park. However, considering the power of Trevithick's steam locomotive, it was just like that. There were also passengers in the two carriages. Solovyov arranged all the soldiers of the Guards.

Although they felt novel when they came here, they also complained.

"That's great. The Emperor wants to see this monster, so we soldiers are here to be passengers."

"It would be awesome if we could ride this thing to the front to fight the Turks!"

"Oh my God, is there a horse in front of this thing? Can it be driven?"

"If you ask me, there should be a sail on the top, like a sailboat."

Then, the soldiers all said this, which opened Solovyov's eyes.

I have never seen the old soldiers of the Putin regiment do this all day long before. Now, probably because they are touched by this "devil's thing", their complaints are no less than his uncle's "complaining soldiers".

As for seeing the former chief battalion commander, some old soldiers even greeted him.

"I say, young battalion commander, you are a general now, why are you still with us soldiers?"

"I made great efforts in this steam car back then. Now I have to perform in front of the emperor. I have to go."

"Yes, the emperor is willing to use you. Who makes you smart? Other masters are not like you. They are educated and can fight."

"Okay, stop talking too much. Go to your seats."

"Oh, this carriage is not bad. We soldiers have never ridden in a carriage, but we have ridden in a carriage pulled by this "iron monster."

Trevixick was still adding coal in front and preparing to start it.

But it takes some time for his boiler to heat up from a cold furnace.

Some old soldiers were still muttering that this thing was not as good as the small boat that the "young battalion commander" had tinkered with before, and it might not be able to drive.

Then, they were startled by the sound of the whistle.

These old soldiers came up with their weapons and pointed their rifles at the front of the car.

"What kind of devilish sound is that!"

"It's the whistle of a locomotive. You haven't seen it yet. You'll get used to it in the future. It's not the devil's sound. When you make tea, look at the kettle. What does it look like when the water is boiling?"

"That's it! I'm scared to death. We soldiers are also lucky to be born at this time. The emperor even let us ride in the car pulled by this 'devil'. Little battalion commander, your name is an angel. Could it be that he tamed the devil and served the emperor?"

The topic couldn't be changed, and it returned to the theme of "devil".

Alexander and Queen Mother Maria sat in the center of the viewing platform, Louisa and several aunts were behind, Grand Duke Constantine and the Guards were on one side, and Nicholas and Mikhail were sitting beside the Queen Mother. Nephews together.

"Look, the steam locomotive is moving!"

It was Nicholas who first saw the white steam rising from the steam locomotive. Everyone was observing the movement of the vehicle with telescopes or theater glasses.

This steam locomotive started to move slowly, carrying white smoke of steam towards the viewing platform.

"Richard, there's no need to add more coal. Just go by at this speed. After passing His Majesty the Tsar's position, you can prepare to stop at the station."

Solovyov said this to Trevithick, and he understood it. There was no need to drive too fast anyway. This trip to Tsarskoe Selo was also a demonstration so that the royal family could understand the benefits of steam locomotives.

Therefore, the British engineer also went into battle himself, and for the sake of stability, he also found more skilled drivers and stokers to come to Petersburg.

The operation of the train was quite successful. Several veterans of the general regiment who were calling "Devil" just now began to whistle and sing.

By the way, I didn’t forget to tease the Turks during the group song.

"Let me tell you, let's send this thing to Moldavia and run it around in front of the Turks. They might think it's a 'devil' and then run away!"

However, this is what they expressed just now.

Solovyov was satisfied, but he was also worried that the railway mileage would definitely not keep up. It was impossible to build a railway connecting Petersburg and Moscow to all parts of Russia within a few years, and early steam locomotives The reliability is also very worrying.

The train was indeed traveling fast enough now, passing in front of the viewing platform at the standard speed of a carriage.

Alexander was very satisfied after seeing it, and had already prepared medals and medals to be distributed to those who had made merit this time.