"Steaming Up" Issue 3 - June 2002
It must be almost summer as the Chelsea Flower show is on the television. It’s at times like this that thoughts turn to steaming along the cut. The gentle smell of hot oil mixed with steam coal wafting through the air. But, we are still some way from that happy moment when that bell is ‘dinged’ once more. To carry on with the bell theme, the last lap bell is about to be struck. This will be the signal for the most interesting phase. How, will the new engine look in the engine room? Will the engine work? How will it be firing a boiler to 150 PSI? Just the sort of questions to vex members at our newly re-timed AGM. I always enjoy the AGM, as it is an opportunity to meet up with many old friends. I hope as many of you as possible will make the effort to attend. Here’s looking forward to steaming once more Simon Nuttall |
Fundraising, you’re opportunity to helpOver the years we in FoP have been very fortunate to receive grants from many sources. These make a big dent in our funding requirements. But, with a project as big as this, grants alone will not meet the total cost, which is in excess of£45,000. The committee would like to enlist your help, we’re to hold a grand draw. This is something we have not done for many years and certainly not on this scale. We have been able to obtain some excellent prizes: - 1st – One week narrowboat holiday (from Middlewich Narrowboats) 2nd – Weekend break at the Village Hotel & Leisure Centre, Dudley. 3rd – One years subscription to Waterways World Plus 5 VIP days out at the Black Country Living Museum.
We still need to raise approximately£20,000 to complete the project. All members are asked to sell as many tickets as they can. We have enclosed [ with snail mail copies of this newsletter] 4 books of tickets with this issue of "Steaming Up", -£10 worth. Please make a real effort to sell them and more. Further tickets are available from David Powell. If we all sell£10 of tickets we will raise over£1,000. In addition we will be selling tickets throughout the summer, sending them to members of the Village Leisure centre, members of Friends of the Museum etc. To encourage members to sell more tickets there will be a small prize for the member selling the most tickets.
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From the ‘ole[ |
Slow but sure is the best way of describing progress over the last eight weeks. The back cabin structure is now finished. All boards inside and out have been given multiple coats of a 2-part epoxy resin, which makes them impervious to water. The next stage will be fitting out. |
Some very interesting decisions have been made, notably the provision of two roof slides on the engine cabin top. You will recall that there was one, which covered the radius cut out. After careful consultation with our guru and archivist Richard, who declared that there is evidence that cabin slides were fitted on different sides and in some cases two were fitted. We have therefore decided in the interests of safety to fit two. Which of course will make access to the hole easier. The next one came about when I was discussing with Ian Kemp the problems of getting the boiler in and out of the boat every five years, which in the past meant the removal of the boiler cabin top which of course distorted it and broke the weather seal. Ian put forward the view that ‘they’ would not have done that in the past. The forward bulkhead would have been removed and the boiler slid in or out on greased rails from the hold. So that is what we have decided to do. The existing smoke box will be reduced in height to enable it to clear the cabin top supports as it is slid in or out. The funnel with its hinged mounting will be mounted on a removable plate; the underside will be extended down to meet the top of the smoke box. Work on the engine is moving ahead. We are still waiting for the crankshaft but there is now movement. The filter housing and water manifold are complete, (thank you Eric) which leaves the inlet and exhaust manifold to be done. Dave Stott |
The propeller Saga
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We have now had our new blades delivered – twice. You will recall that we have had to have a new one made because the engine now runs anticlockwise – the opposite direction to the old one. But, after making careful arrangements to have it delivered from Holland, when it arrived it was too big! It has therefore been back to Holland and ground down to size. The new blades have a pitch of approximately 42" and a diameter of 32". |
Working partiesSince the last issue eight work parties have taken place. This has involved no less than 55 person days, or approximately 400 hours. If we add to this the time put in outside working parties the figure rises to 600 hours. To put this into perspective, it would take one man at least 15 weeks to carryout what has been done. At today’s rate of at least£15 per hour this represents a saving of£9000. The work undertaken is as follows: - |
Friday 8th March.John Logie, Graham Simmonds, Judy and
Ron Spencer at Dadford's. Saturday 16th March.Dave Powell, Colin Grantham, Paul and Barbara Hothersall, Paul and Joan Egginton, Richard Burke, Brian Empsall, Dave Stott, Judy and Ron Spencer. Mostly work on Kildare at BCLM apart from a visit by 2 to Dadford’s to deliver a wrongly sized prop! (and remove again for resizing -hastily!) Kildare work included cleaning cloths - in and out, and eyeletting them. Brasses all polished. Finishing off painting of and ensuring all Presidents’ running gear present and correct. More work in Bolinder Shed on Engine ‘bits’ and there are plenty of them! Saturday 6th April.Maurice and Ann Parker, Dave Stott, Judy and Ron Spencer. Strip paint off Kildare’s back cabin, back end and prime. Dig out and remove rotten wood from her forecabin – apply wood hardener. Saturday 20th April.Dave Powell, Martin Burke, Ron Jackson, Harry Stoopman and Alison Newman, Brian, Pat and Susie Empsall, Dave Goodman, Nick Haynes, Nigel Wood, Roger Prior, Judy and Ron Spencer. Ink President’s cloths. On Kildare, rub down back-end and prime and also re-prime back cabin. Rudder stripped on bank after being removed to dry out. Forecabin stripped. Some priming done. Weekend 2nd – 5th May.Martin and Richard Burke, Maurice and Ann Parker, Dave Goodman, Dave Powell and Josh, Paul and Joan Egginton, John Logie, Roger Prior, Nick and Ann Oliver, Dave Stott, Susie Empsall, Judy and Ron Spencer. Fill with water, light fridge and water heater (both with difficulty), off load mattresses from Brook St to Kildare, DCT tug to Caggy’s dry dock. To Dadford’s to check the new propeller – after it’s re-size, while dry dock being pumped out (about two and a half-hours). Some bottoms still to be replaced. 2 coats of ‘Black’ to Kildare’s bottom, and much rubbing down, filling in, priming and undercoating. Finally return to BCLM (again a tug from the locks at Factory). Wednesday 15th May.Maurice Parker, Brian Empsall, Dave Stott, Judy and Ron Spencer. Remove range for repair analysis. More filling in, rubbing down and undercoating on Kildare. Red Oxide gloss applied to cabin roof. Saturday 18th May.Dave Powell, Brian Empsall, Dave Stott, Simon Nuttall, Martin Burke, Judy and Ron Spencer Craning ballast into Kildare for President and to allow Kildare to pass through Dudley tunnel, also load President’s running gear. Shuffle the bunks around in Kildare to make room – all in preparation for the boat pull to Dadford’s on 8th June. More cloth eyeletting. Parts of Kildare’s range taken away for repair/replacement. Ron Spencer |
More fundraising newsOur partnership with the Village Hotel and leisure centre is continuing to bear fruit. We were extremely grateful to receive£64 from their Easter Egg draw. In addition, the local Fire Brigade is holding a car wash in the Village Hotel car park shortly; the proceeds for which will be passed to FoP. We understand that they normally raise in excess of£500. The big fundraising event though is to be a sponsored boat pull. This will take ‘Kildare’ from Blowers Green to Dadford’s shed. It is hoped that four teams of 4 will work in 15 minute shifts to pull ‘Kildare’ The event will be taking place on Saturday June 8th. A number of FoP members will be required to help with the operation of the boat and locks. Please contact David Powell on 01799 523855 if you are able to help. President in the PressFor those of you who don’t read Canal and Riverboat magazine regularly this month would be a good time to do so. Sometime ago we were asked by the editor to provide an article covering all aspect of Presidents history and operation. This is in the current month’s issue (June) and if I may say so myself is a good read. But then I would say that as I wrote it. Simon Nuttall |
Further information |
Last edited:- 06-Aug-2008