Admiral Class Engines

[Heartland]

I have looked through the site, and unless I have missed something, there is no mention of the engines as originally fitted to the Admiral class vessels built at Northwich.

 

I suppose for surviving craft there have replacements made, but it would be of interest if the originals survive.

[magnetman]

Armstrong Siddeley AS2 I believe. 

 

I think Mountbatten has one still but not sure if it's the original unit. 

 

 

Edited January 24, 2020 by magnetman

[alan_fincher]

Good question - I'm sure Pete Harrison can give the definite answer.

My assumption would be the "Parsons Meganser" air-cooled 2 cylinder engine, (actually the Armstrong Siddley AS2, but marketed by Parsons, who would have supplied the gearboxes).

Whether that assumption is completely correct, I'm not sure, (it is only an assumption), but I think probably at least Mountbatten still use this engine type - it certainly did in this video.
 

 

 

EDIT: Magnetman seems to agree, as he has nipped in ahead of me whilst I was looking for the video!

Edited January 24, 2020 by alan_fincher

[alan_fincher]

I have just found where Pete Harrison confirms all the Admirals originally had Parsons Merganser air cooled engines....

(For once I get away with making an assumption that is actually correct! ?)
 

Quote

Parsons Merganser (Armstrong Siddley AS2) were fitted in all 'Admiral Class' motors by 'British Waterways' for their northern division carrying fleet.

 

 

Edited January 24, 2020 by alan_fincher

[paddy r]

Mountbatten still has its AS2, although we don't know if it's the original engine. Apparently, the old boatmen used to call them tatey bakers, because they run a bit hot!

It wouldn't be my engine of choice, but nearly 3 years down the line, we're getting used to it. 

[Boater Sam]

Columbia? I know that had an AS2 'cos I worked on it.

[IanM]

Collingwood still has its AS2

[pete harrison]

5 hours ago, Boater Sam said:

Columbia? I know that had an AS2 'cos I worked on it.

As a 'British Waterways' maintenance boat COLUMBIA became dumb, i.e. it had its engine removed. The Parsons Merganser was fitted into COLUMBIA as part of its rebuild into a trip boat by Colliery Narrowboats in about 1979, having previously been in the exF.M.C. Ltd. motor PETREL but in storage by Colliery Narrowboats for quite a while. The last time I checked this engine was still in COLUMBIA (I have the serial numbers).

 

'British Waterways' (and Barlows) fitted Parsons Merganser's into several of their carrying and maintenance boats during the mid to late 1950's, and over the years these have been swapped and changed into all sorts of other boats. There are also quite a number of industrial AS2's that have been modified and installed, as well as Parsons Merganser's sourced from other applications such as ships lifeboats  

Edited January 26, 2020 by pete harrison

[pete harrison]

1 hour ago, IanM said:

Collingwood still has its AS2

As does LINDSAY.

 

The Parsons Merganser engines currently in LINDSAY and MOUNTBATTEN have serial numbers that are not too dissimilar, which suggests that they might still have their original engines in place 

[Heartland]

Thanks folks, that is useful to know.

 

 

[Dav and Pen]

An old boatman I knew always said he was going to see Sidney when he needed the bucket.

[pete harrison]

On ‎24‎/‎01‎/‎2020 at 13:56, Heartland said:

I have looked through the site, and unless I have missed something, there is no mention of the engines as originally fitted to the Admiral class vessels built at Northwich.

 

I suppose for surviving craft there have replacements made, but it would be of interest if the originals survive.

I have received notification of a forthcoming 'workshop' where the subject is "Developments of internal combustion transport on British navigations".

 

I am wondering whether this thread has been started in order to gain information for this event 

[alan_fincher]

From a picture posted elsewhere I'm guessing that at least ne of the AS2s mentioned above may need a little TLC at the moment...

[paddy r]

1 hour ago, alan_fincher said:

From a picture posted elsewhere I'm guessing that at least ne of the AS2s mentioned above may need a little TLC at the moment...

all fixed now.

[alan_fincher]

37 minutes ago, paddy r said:

all fixed now.

Excellent and well done!

[stagedamager]

I can help with spares............ ?

[Hyperion 53]

It was Jack Taylor (of the new ACCCo) that nicknamed the AS2's "tata roasters" from when he had the 'Hyperion'. Him and Elsie reckoned they used to wrap potatoes in foil and cook them on the manifold when loaded. There's nothing wrong with an Armstrong with the correct blade. On the Shroppie with a loaded boat: after coming round Cut End and through the stop, the exhaust manifold should be glowing red by the time you get to Chillington - else your hanging about! Jack was a great chap and told a good story whilst propping the bar up in the Dashers at Knighton or eating an ice cream here at Norbury... He told me many times that he used to drain the oil out the sump in cold weather, boil it up on the range, pour it back in and then Elsie used to be pressing the button and he swung on the handle to get the old girl going on a cold morning. An easier trick is to put a parrafin greenhouse heater under the sump during the night and a well set up engine will start the first time in the morning. Mind you, I don't think the BSS examiner would approve! 

[Hyperion 53]

On 06/02/2020 at 17:39, paddy r said:

all fixed now.

I had some copper "rings" made for my engine in Hyperion, thinner than the manual says and to Tim Leech's specification. Increased compression and made starting a whole lot easier and instantly solved the smoke issue. I have some spares hanging up in the workshop somewhere! 

[paddy r]

On 07/02/2020 at 22:42, Hyperion 53 said:

I had some copper "rings" made for my engine in Hyperion, thinner than the manual says and to Tim Leech's specification. Increased compression and made starting a whole lot easier and instantly solved the smoke issue. I have some spares hanging up in the workshop somewhere! 

i had some copper rings that i found in the engine room, probably left over from Ivor, they had a small recess for the dowel in the barrel top, I've used these and it's running well.