News from the 'ole - Engineering Report No 14 - January 2006
by Dave Stott
President is at rest after a very successful season. The heaters are in place keeping the inside dry. The boiler filled to the brim ready for the last steaming of the year during the run up to Christmas. We then start the winter work. Our new engine is a dream as you all know. The steam plant has performed well, but only because of the hard work of all our drivers, who between us all, deal with all the many little problems that steam engines create.
Dave Stott does steer sometimes !!!- photo by Nigel Wood
On the subject of Drivers we welcome and congratulate Bob Crompton and Dave Speer and a belated welcome and congrats to our chairman – Dave (or DP as we fondly call him) who are now all paid up members of the ‘ole. DP was the lucky driver to take ‘President’ down the Thames earlier this year – he says he still wakes up in a cold sweat thinking of it.
I also welcome as I think we all do Babs. All those who have crewed with her this year will have enjoyed her quiet humour and an amazing ability to never stop working, from cooking to moving coal and her passion for the steam plant, so we welcome Babs as an Assistant Driver.
Coal probably is the most controversial subject that we have to deal with each year. The price, availability of the best type, and size make provision difficult, it is only when the coal is used that the problems emerge. This year it has been smoke and ash. Smoke is produced when a new charge of coal is put on the fire, good welsh steam coal will have a small amount of volatile which produces a small amount of smoke, whilst others, as this year, are the opposite. Lots of smoke until all the volatile material has been burnt off, this can be partially be reduced by opening the fire door to admit more air to pass over the fire causing the volatile gas being given off to burn, the down side is that the relative cold air reduces the temperature of the gases, so there is a reduction in steam making.
Ash is the residue of the burnt coal. The ideal coal will produce just sufficient ash to protect the fire bars from burning. This year’s crop produced an ash that was akin to talcum powder causing a low fire to disintegrate through the bars. When working hard the ash and the smoke is thrown from the funnel and into the eyes of the steerer and crew if running into a head wind, one can hear mutters about needing ******* googles or a ******** gas mask ( funny, we never have these problems down in the ‘ole!!!!!!!!!)
Last edited:- 06-Jun-2009