Kempton steam open days incl boats

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Fellow boaters. Kempton steam museum is holding an “,in steam” weekend on 18 19 may.

Of interest not only the biggest three cylinder engine you are likely to see, but the ,Bushy park boaters will have several tables around the temp. Boating pool on the Sunday 19th. There will be other clubs there, and a tent with small steam and other interesting stuff.

Our table will be packed with exotica and not a few top secret experimental craft. Try a bumper boat to max out the fun!

Details see the steam museum website

[email protected]

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Ashley,  that appears to be an e-mail address, not a website!

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Oops. A quick Google will easily find the Kempton steam website.

Home

It’s a whopper. But only 1000hp from 4 stories worth of best British cast iron and steel.

On the lower floor are two steam turbine pumps that did the job when they stopped using the big uns, and they are each  the size of a large SUV…

Ashley

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Makes me smile when I think the first engine I ever sailed with was a seven cylinder Sulzer 7RND90.  I remember to this day walking past the builders plate on the lower plate level and seeing that it was rated at 20,300 bhp.  That was four levels high with a ladder built inside the crankcase so you could climb up to the top of it!

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

<p style=”text-align: center;”>The numbers are silly really…almost 3000hp per cylinder. Thats a hell of a bang. How do they make them that big eh?? Ashley</p>

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

This is a sculpture made from  the running gear of one cylinder of this engine.  Look at the notice board to get an idea of the size.  This is actually a slightly larger bore version so the piston is 1050mm diameter.  This is what they call a crosshead engine, where the con rod connects the crankshaft to the crosshead and the piston rod is also connected to the crosshead.  The idea is that the sideways forces exerted on a piston in a normal trunk engine are removed in a crosshead engine where the sideways forces are taken by the crosshead guides.  This is especially critical with a long stroke engine where the piston is so long.  You can see the flat vertical bearing surfaces of the crosshead, normally plated with white metal, that runs between the crosshead guides in the engine.  As you can see you can remove the piston by undoing the piston nut in the crosshead and lifting it vertically out of the engine without having to disturb the con rod.

The two telescopic tubes at the back of the piston are the water cooling pipes for the piston crown.

That’s how they make them that big!

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

A whopper Richard. Constructed entirely differently to a much smaller engine.

Heard the term crosshead before, never actually looked it up! Thanks. Ashley

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