Steam Launch

[David Mack]

More pictures of Sarah Jane here.

[John V]

The beauty of, for those that don't know is that reciprocating steam engines being external combustion engines and deliver power from rest the propshaft can be coupled directly to the engines crankshaft, no reverse gearbox required. Astern is selected by reversing the engines valve gear which causes the engine to rotate in the opposite direction taking the prop shaft with it, with exactly the same power and speed as ahead. Same as a steam railway loco works or most other steam reciprocating engine applications.

 

 

I was very fortunate when young to do trip on the training ship Glen Strathallen, A converted coal burning 585 ton trawler. At full revs (about 120 rpm from memory) The triple expansion engine would go from full ahead to full astern in about 3 seconds...incredible to watch

 

 

Training ship by mudlarker2, on Flickr

[pete.i]

Here is my contribution. Not quite as grand as John V's but a pretty little thing none the less. Chap was launching it one day from the Selby Boatyard so I went and had a chat with him and sked him if I could take some pictures. Turns out he built his from scratch as well right down to all the nuts bolts and screws. This was the first time it had been in the water so it was the little launch's maiden voyage.

 

 

http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u492/pete-i1/2012-07-26122733.jpg

 

http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u492/pete-i1/2012-07-26114748.jpg

 

http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u492/pete-i1/2012-07-26114730.jpg

 

ERRM dunno why they haven't come out as pictures that seems to sometimes happen for me. Maybe someone can sort it out for me please.

Edited October 27, 2014 by pete.i

[John V]

Keb ...great pictures....what a beautiful little boat. I am in total awe of someone who could actually build something like that from scratch...that really is craftsmanship!!!

[Martin Megson]

Guy in front is John.

He built it .

All of it.

He is a retired Clockmaker and trust me it runs like a Rolex.

Absolute quality.

A biker as well.

 

It was certainly running very smoothly as it passed me. Surprisingly quiet

[Athy]

Keb ...great pictures....what a beautiful little boat. I am in total awe of someone who could actually build something like that from scratch...that really is craftsmanship!!!

I totally agree. It makes me feel tired just thinking about the precision and patience involved in the boat's creation.

[John V]

Keb....just noticed you said launched in Selby ....by really odd coincidence the Glen Strathallen was built at Selby 1927 ish I think

[IanD]

I don't know if anyone else remembers it, but for a few years in the eighties there was a steam-powered narrowboat called Firefly for hire from K E Jones at Foxton -- a huge (500,000BTU?) gas-fired boiler near the steerer's left leg, a two-cylinder simple Mamod-type (oscillating cylinder) engine with maybe 3" bore and stroke just under the rear steps driving a *big* prop, skin tank condensers, automated feed watre control. With about 3hp flat out in a 55' hull -- but with very long swims -- it glided along beautifully with no noise apart from the muted roar of the boiler, but didn't exactly start and stop in a hurry...

 

We hired it for a fortnight -- which involved being one of the centrepieces in a rally at Windmill End when President failed to make it -- and had a great time, especially in cold wet weather when you could close the back doors behind you and gently roast in the heat from the boiler. From memory, in 2 weeks we emptied the main gas tank (85 gallons) plus 3 50kg Calor gas bottles, that would cost about £150 a week nowadays which tells you why steam power is not so popular -- at least with an inefficient single-expansion setup running at about 100psi.

 

I'll see if I can find some photos when I get home...

Edited October 27, 2014 by IanD

[Athy]

Sounds splendid, Ian.

In our very early hiring days circa 1994 we used to get the printed brochures of all the hire companies. I can remember the blurb in one of them enthusing about the variety of craft on offer and mentioning that "There's even one powered by steam". So either yours was still operational, or there was another steam hire boat around at the time.

[Albion]

I don't know if anyone else remembers it, but for a few years in the eighties there was a steam-powered narrowboat called Firefly for hire from K E Jones at Foxton -- a huge (500,000BTU?) gas-fired boiler near the steerer's left leg, a two-cylinder simple Mamod-type (oscillating cylinder) engine with maybe 3" bore and stroke just under the rear steps driving a *big* prop, skin tank condensers, automated feed watre control. With about 3hp flat out in a 55' hull -- but with very long swims -- it glided along beautifully with no noise apart from the muted roar of the boiler, but didn't exactly start and stop in a hurry...

 

We hired it for a fortnight -- which involved being one of the centrepieces in a rally at Windmill End when President failed to make it -- and had a great time, especially in cold wet weather when you could close the back doors behind you and gently roast in the heat from the boiler. From memory, in 2 weeks we emptied the main gas tank (85 gallons) plus 3 50kg Calor gas bottles, that would cost about £150 a week nowadays which tells you why steam power is not so popular -- at least with an inefficient single-expansion setup running at about 100psi.

 

I'll see if I can find some photos when I get home...

Yes I remember it. Wasn't it converted to a diesel engine after a while (possibly for some of the issues that you mention)?

Roger

[IanD]

Yes, though according to this (scroll down towards the bottom) it lasted at least ten years:

 

http://nbalbert.blogspot.de/p/al.html

 

It had the alternator and no solar panels when we hired it, given that you could hear the engine slow down when the alternator was charging this was a big improvement. You can see the long stern swim in the photo, the bow one was also very long and went past the front of the cabin.

 

That brochure in the 90s would have been Blakes, I think we went through them. It's a shame there's nothing similar around today, it was a really enjoyable trip, great for sneaking up on wildlife and anglers, not so good if the canal got shallow due to relatively deep draft and low power but then we weren't in a hurry. 200rpm flat out sounds about right, The prop was massive and in a deep canal it just swam along effortlessly with no wake to speak of, but you still couldn't keep up even walking fast.

Edited October 27, 2014 by IanD

[David Mack]

Here is my contribution. Not quite as grand as John V's but a pretty little thing none the less. Chap was launching it one day from the Selby Boatyard so I went and had a chat with him and sked him if I could take some pictures. Turns out he built his from scratch as well right down to all the nuts bolts and screws. This was the first time it had been in the water so it was the little launch's maiden voyage.

 

 

http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u492/pete-i1/2012-07-26122733.jpg

 

http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u492/pete-i1/2012-07-26114748.jpg

 

http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u492/pete-i1/2012-07-26114730.jpg

 

ERRM dunno why they haven't come out as pictures that seems to sometimes happen for me. Maybe someone can sort it out for me please.