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In a mad moment I recently bought this engine from Ebay

 

 

061.jpg

 

It is a "Van Rennes" two stroke semi diesel engine and gearbox. I am about to undertake a full restoration.

 

If anyone has any knowledge or info about Van Rennes, I would be very interested.

 

Rob

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Sorry - I cannot help with any info . . .

 

But that's a steady-looking toy you've just bought - - an handsome wee beastie!

Not sure about the "wee" bit. I estimate it's weight at about two and a half tonnes.

Rob

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What an interesting engine, that's going to need a blade and a half to keep it happy and warm, you will be able to pump the cut dry, in fact the last twin I saw working in its original home was the Twin Bolinder that lived at Knowle and was the pump engine, it was about that size, it still exists somewhere I believe. Also its interesting in that the exhaust is on the left, rather than the more traditional right as in Bolinders and Gardeners, etc.
Best of luck with your project, remember they are the closest thing to a horse - can be very temperamental :)

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Oh, he discovered a horse...

 

Well that makes more sense

 

Richard

On a similar note I clicked on PJ's YouTube link expecting to see a horse being started with a blowlamp but it appears to have been swiftly removed and replaced with engine porn.

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There's this one on Youtube:

I wonder if that gizmo on the back of the tractor would fit in through the engine-'ole side doors to help wake up the old Lister on a cold morning......

 

 

MP.

Edited by MoominPapa
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No plans but I did muse over the idea of either building a narrowbeam tug from scratch (deep draughted!) of finding an old one to fit it in.

Finances won't allow in the foreseeable future though.

To be pedantic for a second, it is not blowlamp pre-heat but uses smouldering paper in screw in rods. (same as the Marshall tractor in the background)

I'm sure that if you inserted one of those into your horse it would definitely start.

I have found a whistle (like a steam whistle) on the oil system that I assume is a low level warning system. Are these fitted to any other engine makes?

 

Rob

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No plans but I did muse over the idea of either building a narrowbeam tug from scratch (deep draughted!) of finding an old one to fit it in.

Finances won't allow in the foreseeable future though.

To be pedantic for a second, it is not blowlamp pre-heat but uses smouldering paper in screw in rods. (same as the Marshall tractor in the background)

I'm sure that if you inserted one of those into your horse it would definitely start.

I have found a whistle (like a steam whistle) on the oil system that I assume is a low level warning system. Are these fitted to any other engine makes?

 

Rob

 

Magnificent!

 

Do I see pipework for a compressed air start on the rear cylinder?

 

Is that a reversing gearbox, or it it fitted for a variable pitch prop?

 

Running speed I guess around 500 rpm, but what is the rated horsepower, and bore/stroke?

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What an interesting engine, that's going to need a blade and a half to keep it happy and warm, you will be able to pump the cut dry, in fact the last twin I saw working in its original home was the Twin Bolinder that lived at Knowle and was the pump engine, it was about that size, it still exists somewhere I believe. Also its interesting in that the exhaust is on the left, rather than the more traditional right as in Bolinders and Gardeners, etc.

Best of luck with your project, remember they are the closest thing to a horse - can be very temperamental smile.png

 

A bit big for a narrow boat, I suspect!

 

I get the impression that Bolinders etc could quite easily be built 'handed' either way.

 

The 2-stroke Gardner originally fitted in my tug had the exhaust on the Port side.

That looks very similar to the Brevo reversing gearboxes as fitted to the 20hp Bolinders.

 

Tim

Edited by Timleech
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Ridiculously big for a narrowboat but I have already got a "sensible" boat with a tiny Kelvin K2 in it.

Well spotted, it is compressed air start and is fitted with a Brevo gearbox.

I don't yet know the bore, but I have measured the stroke at 270mm.

It has two water pumps fitted. Would these both have been used for engine cooling (in parallel) or is one intended as an auxiliary pump?

Rob

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Probably a bilge pump, Older proper marine engines had them as standard.

 

Edit - on bigger engines it was quite common to have the two pumps plumbed such that the bilge pump could be used as an emergency cooling pump, also sometimes as 'general service' pump (Deck wash, ballast etc in addition to bilge duty)

 

Tim

Edited by Timleech
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Hi, Great project, very similar in style to a Kromhaut,both Dutch and air start, quite a bit of info on google, my work colleague is Dutch,I will see what he can get info wise and get back in touch.

Thanks, thats great as any info would be very useful.

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