Bolinders, From:Turning sharp bends

[David Schweizer]

The early diesels like Bolinders didn't have a reverse gear, the engine was rigged so it would run backwards just like a steamer. I've heard that some boatmen didn't trust the set up and would strap the boat to stop it leaving the prop turning forwards on tick over rather than risk the engine stopping .

That takes me back, I remember when Beachamp Lodge bought (or was actually given) Sweden, she had a single cylinder Bolinder (or Seffle) engine with no gearbox. To reverse the boat, the engine had to be braked at top dead centre, a balance weight thrown across the fly wheel, the brake taken off and the throttle opened up to reverse the engine. All this had to take place within a few seconds or the engine would cool down and stall, something which happened with alarming frequency, requiring the cylinder to be reheated with a blow lamp. When we helped to crew it, we would place two people in the engine room and listen for shouted instructions from the Captain, as soon as the brake was taken off, we would push the flywheel in reverse direction, which usually prevented the engine from stalling. I suspect that health and safety rules would forbid that sort of practice these days.

 

Sweden is still around, and actually moored in front of me for a few hours this summer, unfortunately the single cylinder engine is long gone, having been replaced by a "modern" multi cylinder engine. The boat is however in far better condition now than when I knew her in the 1960's

Edited November 26, 2006 by David Schweizer

[DHutch]

That takes me back, I remember when Beachamp Lodge bought Sweden, she had a single cylinder Bolinder...

MMmmm....

 

...Right, who heres got a bolinder than, i want one!!

 

im thinking maybe for my second boat in a little while...

 

 

 

Daniel

[grunders]

MMmmm....

 

...Right, who heres got a bolinder than, i want one!!

 

im thinking maybe for my second boat in a little while...

Daniel

 

 

They've got a lovely sound but, as has already been suggested, they're not the most practical of engines. Still, if you want one, you've got to get one since there's nothing quite like them!

Edited November 27, 2006 by grunders

[David Schweizer]

..... since there's nothing quite like them!

Except for the Seffle, and then there was the Skandia

[DHutch]

They've got a lovely sound but...

...they're not the most practical of engines...

Yeah, it is indeed a good sound, and not only that, but the feeling of standing on a boat with one running.

 

Mmm, practical... Bit like a steam engine the really... Only possably even more so! (Emilyannes not that bad....)

 

 

 

Daniel

[Liam]

Getting shaken to bits whilst on the tiller and then not getting into reverse as you're entering a lock...

 

I was watching George, which had a Bolinder trying to moor up at Acton Bridge which was interesting. He had overshot the mooring he wanted to get into, and everytime he tried to reverse the Bolinder went out. Eventually he took up my offer and threw me the rope and I managed to get him within about 2 foot of the bank when it hit the bottom.

 

Was talking to the bloke the next morning and he said that the reason it wouldn't go in reverse was probably due to the fact that he pulled two bags worth of crap off the prop.

 

Ahhh the pleasures of boating!

[DHutch]

Ive spit this topic off from "Turning sharp bends" as although its a great tangent to the aformentioned topic, its not overly relevent to the majority.

- I was tempted to leave it, but i thought it better this way.

 

 

Daniel

[grunders]

Yeah, it is indeed a good sound, and not only that, but the feeling of standing on a boat with one running.

 

Daniel

 

At the Beale Park rally, one of the historic boats (can't remember which) had it's bolinder running and you could just see the boat bouncing up and down when the cylinder fired.

Edited November 28, 2006 by grunders

[Yoda]

MMmmm....

 

...Right, who heres got a bolinder than, i want one!!

 

im thinking maybe for my second boat in a little while...

Daniel

 

No Daniel wrong thinking. Use your time at college to design and build a sterling engine for your new boat.

[Hairy-Neil]

I was watching George, which had a Bolinder trying to moor up at Acton Bridge ...........

 

Would that be the prototype Grand Union Royalty Class motor?

[Keeping Up]

At the Beale Park rally, one of the historic boats (can't remember which) had it's bolinder running and you could just see the boat bouncing up and down when the cylinder fired.

It was the Cactus. A beautifully turned out boat. Here is a brief movie clip with the sound of his Bolinder running (470kB MPG file)

 

Allan

[Liam]

Would that be the prototype Grand Union Royalty Class motor?

 

Aye, that's right. On it's way back from Worsley Dry Dock I beleive, after being put back to full length.

 

Apparently it was only around 60ft and the guy who had it wanted to get it back to the full length before his father died so he could see it at the "original" size.

 

It was one hell of a boat. Very deep in the water although the counter was high out of the water by around 8 inches. We were leap frogging each other, and every time we saw it tied up it was always like 2ft out from the bank.

[Christine]

It was the Cactus. A beautifully turned out boat. Here is a brief movie clip with the sound of his Bolinder running (470kB MPG file)

 

Allan

 

 

Ahhh Cactus (at Beale Park)

 

[Hairy-Neil]

The George and its butty, Mary were built by the Steel Barrel Co. at Uxbridge, Middx., more usually remembered as builders of tanker bodies for road vehicles. My great uncle was apprentice there in the early 1920's and worked for Steel Barrel throughout his entire working life.

[grunders]

 

Apparently it was only around 60ft and the guy who had it wanted to get it back to the full length before his father died so he could see it at the "original" size.

 

 

That's right, Nigel Carter, the father, has sadly died now but I'm sure the boat will live on. They had kept the original 10 ft in their back garden so they could put it back. Apparently Nigel wanted to steer her at 70ft again before he died, I'm not sure whether he did or not.

[Liam]

That's right, Nigel Carter, the father, has sadly died now but I'm sure the boat will live on. They had kept the original 10 ft in their back garden so they could put it back. Apparently Nigel wanted to steer her at 70ft again before he died, I'm not sure whether he did or not.

 

I'm not sure whether he did or not, as I heard that from a guy after the boat carried on after we moored up.

 

Any idea why it was shortened, and also why they still had the 10ft of it in their yard, only to put it back to full length? Seems quite strange to me.

 

Do you know where the boat is based?

Edited November 28, 2006 by Liam

[grunders]

I'm not sure whether he did or not, as I heard that from a guy after the boat carried on after we moored up.

 

Any idea why it was shortened, and also why they still had the 10ft of it in their yard, only to put it back to full length? Seems quite strange to me.

 

Do you know where the boat is based?

 

I believe it was shortened so that the Carters could do the Leeds and Liverpool etc. the 60ft canals.

 

I guess they kept the 10ft as it is a historic boat so it would have been a pity to get rid of it, also possibly sentimental value. Maybe they thought they would put it back some day.

 

Don't know where the boat is based, sorry.

[Liam]

Ah makes sense I suppose, thanks for the info.

[Hairy-Neil]

I guess they kept the 10ft as it is a historic boat so it would have been a pity to get rid of it, also possibly sentimental value. Maybe they thought they would put it back some day.

 

I last saw the George on the K & A in july 1995. Photos I took then show it as full 70 foot.

 

It's not the first GU thats been shortened then rebuilt full length with the original plates replaced. I understand the Little Woolwich Motor, Gemini was shortened twice and the plates subsequently reinstated.

 

Also the Little Northwich Butty, Serpens, once a full length trip boat with "Jason's Trip" at Little Venice was shortened to about 60 foot to allow it to run as a tripper on the Monmouth and Brecon Canal. I believe it had to be shortened for the boat to be able to wind. Again, the plates were saved and she was restored to full length at Jem Bates boatyard at Puttenham on the Aylesbury Arm, contradicting the "yard dedicated entirely to wooden boat restoration", comment on their website.....

 

Bates Boatyard

[Hairy-Neil]

Perhaps the most fortunate ex GU boat is the Little Northwich Motor, Antlia. After service with GUCCC she was used during the war as a fire fighting boat on the River Lee. She finished up as a maintenance boat for the South West Division of BW until 1956 when it was cut in half and made into two boats. Her stern became the tug/icebreaker Tardebigge and the bow/hold became the British Waterways hire boat, Water Vixen. Years later in 1994 a more enlightened owner brought both boats and had historic boat specialist Steve Priest join them back together again and restored to her cargo carrying condition, though I believe there is some fit out under cloths.

 

Intrestingly, the spare bows and counter stern weren't consigned to the scrap heap, but, along with some aditional new side plates, formed the basis of another boat......

Edited November 30, 2006 by Hairy-Neil

[Richard Lacy]

MMmmm....

 

...Right, who heres got a bolinder than, i want one!!

 

im thinking maybe for my second boat in a little while...

Daniel

 

 

As it happens I have been offered one this week A non oil-rod e type built about 1908 . Has the reversing pump but not the pecker .Came from a Guiness barge in Ireland but now in Gloucestershire . Asking price between £5000 and £6000 .

I was offered it for the Josher I am restoring - regretfully cannot afford it at the moment but if anyone is seriously interested will pass on the contact details

[DHutch]

No Daniel wrong thinking. Use your time at college to design and build a sterling engine for your new boat.

Interesting you mentioned that...

- Just the other week we where doing the sterling cycal and the guy had a little model engine running in the lecture.

- Thats the first time ive actally seen one runing, and they are really quite cool. Certainly slightly mindbending that it actaully works at all!!

 

But it got my thinking. If you could somehow get diesal to burn in a half decent fashion on the "hot" end. And then cool the other end using the canal as a sink...

 

 

At the Beale Park rally, one of the historic boats (can't remember which) had it's bolinder running and you could just see the boat bouncing up and down when the cylinder fired.

Yeah, i was on EmilyAnne at the other end of the jetty.

- It was very nice. Took the edge of president not being there for the punters as well! (how good was that kids cartoon in the daily rag)

 

 

 

As it happens I have been offered one this week A non oil-rod e type built about 1908 . Has the reversing pump but not the pecker .Came from a Guiness barge in Ireland but now in Gloucestershire . Asking price between £5000 and £6000 .

I was offered it for the Josher I am restoring - regretfully cannot afford it at the moment but if anyone is seriously interested will pass on the contact details

*Feels pockets*

- MMmm, i think im going to have to wait a few years before i have £5k to spare...

- Seeing as this time yesterday my balence was down to £00.55! And then i went out for the night.

 

 

Daniel

Edited November 29, 2006 by dhutch

[Yoda]

Interesting you mentioned that...

- Just the other week we where doing the sterling cycal and the guy had a little model engine running in the lecture.

- Thats the first time ive actally seen one runing, and they are really quite cool. Certainly slightly mindbending that it actaully works at all!!

 

 

To get the maximum out of the fuel, you need to literally break it down to molecular level before igniting it. This is what we do with gas turbines. Trick is sprey it in under high pressure and atomise it as best you can then burn it. Not so easy in a diesel engine but with a constant pressure cycle its really easy. You can use nearly half the fuel that a diesel would use.

[Christine]

Interesting you mentioned that...

- Just the other week we where doing the sterling cycal and the guy had a little model engine running in the lecture.

- Thats the first time ive actally seen one runing, and they are really quite cool. Certainly slightly mindbending that it actaully works at all!!

 

Daniel

 

 

I have posted this link before but nevertheless V interesting (Roy Darlington is a family friend)

 

Stirling Engine Boat

Edited November 29, 2006 by Christine

[Yoda]

Just had a wonder around my brain and found out that there have been some advances. It seems that the best fuel longterm is plutonium and the best gas to use is hydrogen. I'm trying to find out what to make the regenerator out of but steel wire wool looks good.