Asia_Off_Grid Posted February 7, 2018 Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 I am obviously new to this forum, and to canal boating. I have my first question regarding the main topic of this site. Are most steam engines aboard boats coal fired, gas fired, or fired by other sources? Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted February 7, 2018 Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 The site owner's family have a steam powered narrow boat. That is coal fired. which I would say is the most usual arrangement on steam powered narrow boats. Certainly there are also oil fired ones, though I think that costs a fair bit more to run - there were certainly some faitly eye-watering numbers associated with one such boat. I can't see gas being a practical option, but as ever am happy to be proved wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asia_Off_Grid Posted February 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 (edited) 9 minutes ago, alan_fincher said: The site owner's family have a steam powered narrow boat. That is actually what caused me to ask the question, viewing his boat website. Thanks. Edited February 7, 2018 by Asia_Off_Grid Commas are good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHutch Posted February 7, 2018 Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 13 minutes ago, alan_fincher said: The site owner's family have a steam powered narrow boat. That is coal fired. which I would say is the most usual arrangement on steam powered narrow boats. Certainly there are also oil fired ones, though I think that costs a fair bit more to run - there were certainly some faitly eye-watering numbers associated with one such boat. I can't see gas being a practical option, but as ever am happy to be proved wrong. Yes, thanks about it. Its worth noting as well, of all the boats on the system, only around 15 are steam powered. Most of them being modern pleasure craft like ours. Almost all canal shipping went directly from horse drawn to internal combustion, bolinder semi-diesels and the like. Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asia_Off_Grid Posted February 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 3 minutes ago, DHutch said: Its worth noting as well, of all the boats on the system, only around 15 are steam powered. Most of them being modern pleasure craft like ours. How long (far?) can your boat run on 1.5 tons of coal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted February 7, 2018 Report Share Posted February 7, 2018 1 hour ago, alan_fincher said: I can't see gas being a practical option, but as ever am happy to be proved wrong. Firefly the one time steam powered hire boat was gas fired. But I don't think anyone thought that was a practical boat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X Alan W Posted February 8, 2018 Report Share Posted February 8, 2018 14 hours ago, David Mack said: Firefly the one time steam powered hire boat was gas fired. But I don't think anyone thought that was a practical boat! Not sure but think the soon removed Steam unit in hotel boats of Steve Rees Jones was either oil or gas but stand corrected as not sure, wouldn't think that would have been able to stoke the boiler & steer the boat as they seem to run 3 handed with the helper on the butty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted February 8, 2018 Report Share Posted February 8, 2018 When "red" was 2/6d per gallon, I guess it would not have been too bad to power a steam boat with it. At current prices, I think you would need a large wallet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanD Posted February 8, 2018 Report Share Posted February 8, 2018 (edited) 17 hours ago, David Mack said: Firefly the one time steam powered hire boat was gas fired. But I don't think anyone thought that was a practical boat! It was great fun though! From memory when we hired it (travelling most of each day) it used more than 70kg/day of propane from a bulk tank in the bows (85 gallons = 750kg?) and a couple of 50kg cylinders... Edited February 8, 2018 by IanD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Vectis Posted February 8, 2018 Report Share Posted February 8, 2018 When we were on the Wey Navigation last summer there was a steam boat rally at Guildford. One of the boats attending was a steam powered narrow boat, can't remember it's name but the owner said it lived on the Basingstoke Canal. He said the boiler was fired by red diesel and got through 4 litres an hour! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bizzard Posted February 8, 2018 Report Share Posted February 8, 2018 5 hours ago, IanD said: It was great fun though! From memory when we hired it (travelling most of each day) it used more than 70kg/day of propane from a bulk tank in the bows (85 gallons = 750kg?) and a couple of 50kg cylinders... I remember seeing it advertised for hire in Waterways World. I think it had twin cylinder oscillating steam engine, which are not very efficient and quite wastful of steam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted February 8, 2018 Report Share Posted February 8, 2018 (edited) I used to work on a coal fired steam passenger boat in the Thames. Lovely old engine but loading the coal and cleaning out the boiler was a major PITA and it soon became obvious to me why most boats switched to diesel. Edited February 8, 2018 by blackrose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain_S Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 I think Laplander, a converted ice breaker, can burn diesel, oil or kerosene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanD Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 15 hours ago, bizzard said: I remember seeing it advertised for hire in Waterways World. I think it had twin cylinder oscillating steam engine, which are not very efficient and quite wastful of steam. Yes it did, under the back steps -- something like 3" bore and stroke giving about 3hp. Not efficient (no variable cutoff) but simple and relatively indestructible, I seem to remember the oscillating cylinders being held down with strong springs so if any water got into the cylinders they just lifted off the valve face instead of hydraulic locking and breaking something. Like the boiler and automatic feedwater system, the whole thing had to be pretty idiot-proof to be hired out. Great on a cold day steering from inside the closed doors with a 500000BTU boiler rumbling away next to your left leg... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractor Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 Firefly, memories now, we hired this steam boat for a week. Mamod style two cylinder to a very large prop, the boiler was to the left of the steering position. Each morning the water level sensor had to be cleaned of oily deposits, spit cocks to the cylinders opened, and with a bit of pressure, open the throttle and then close spit cocks on each cylinder to get the motor turning, this clear’d the water from the cylinders. Imperative, stay in the canal centre in the deep part, and if passing an oncoming boat stay in the centre till the last minute. The engine came from a builder in London, at Kew, i believe at best it provided about 7.5kW of power, and apart from a bit of hissing, was quiet, easy creeping upon the ducks on the canal. Is this boat still about?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 3 hours ago, Tractor said: Firefly, memories now, we hired this steam boat for a week. Mamod style two cylinder to a very large prop, the boiler was to the left of the steering position. Each morning the water level sensor had to be cleaned of oily deposits, spit cocks to the cylinders opened, and with a bit of pressure, open the throttle and then close spit cocks on each cylinder to get the motor turning, this clear’d the water from the cylinders. Imperative, stay in the canal centre in the deep part, and if passing an oncoming boat stay in the centre till the last minute. The engine came from a builder in London, at Kew, i believe at best it provided about 7.5kW of power, and apart from a bit of hissing, was quiet, easy creeping upon the ducks on the canal. Is this boat still about?? Don't know if it's still about, but I believe the steam plant was replaced with a diesel engine some years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanD Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 We hired Firefly for a fortnight, just as you said but engine was maybe 4shp flat out which is 3kW. Lovely boat... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractor Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 Looking back this should have been 30 years ago, went through Crick, this was out first boat hire. The pre hire interview was pretty stringent, but we had a good week. Maintaining steam pressure, was a technique to master, and you may be right about the engine power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanD Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 Wow, Firefly as a first hire was a bit adventurous! Keith Jones was definitely a bit of a character (as was the boat), it's a great shame there's nothing similar available to hire nowadays... :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumshie Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 On 09/02/2018 at 12:47, ditchcrawler said: I know I'm not adding to the conversation, but it's a shame they played music over the top of those boats. I didn't realise there were quite so many steam narrowboats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHutch Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 On 11/02/2018 at 21:29, Tumshie said: I know I'm not adding to the conversation, but it's a shame they played music over the top of those boats. I didn't realise there were quite so many steam narrowboats. That is in fairness most of them! I put the total number at around 15, however that does include a boat thats a similar age to emilyanne but yet to move under her own steam, as well as an narrowoatd size inspection launch on the land locked Montgomery. Never seen firefly in the flesh but it sound like a fair thing. Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumshie Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 2 minutes ago, DHutch said: That is in fairness most of them! I put the total number at around 15, however that does include a boat thats a similar age to emilyanne but yet to move under her own steam, as well as an narrowoatd size inspection launch on the land locked Montgomery. Never seen firefly in the flesh but it sound like a fair thing. Daniel Thank you, Daniel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insane.Pringle Posted February 26, 2018 Report Share Posted February 26, 2018 Just a query aimed at DHutch. How much coal does the Emilyanne store and how long does it last? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotEver Posted February 26, 2018 Report Share Posted February 26, 2018 I guess ‘lots’ and ‘ages’ won’t suffice...? I’ll await Dan’s reply Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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