I would have guessed that the gauge was based on the common tramway
gauges of the time. Wasn't Stephenson involved with the Wyllam Dilly
(sp?) engine? that could have been an influence.
On Thu, 1 Aug 2002, Huw Davies wrote:
At 10:28 AM 31/07/2002 +0200, Andreas Freiherr wrote:
I have heard that the gauge of today's railway
tracks (1435mm or 4'
8.5"), and hence even the dimensions of Space Shuttle's boosters go back
to ancient Roman vehicles built to the width of two horse's backs, maybe
true or maybe not. But, why did punched cards have just 80 columns?
I'd always been told that "standard gauge" was based on the track of
The Rocket - Stephenson's first steam locomotive.
Huw Davies | e-mail: Huw.Davies(a)kerberos.davies.net.au
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