Information contained in these advertisements is published as received by the editor.  It is the buyer's responsibility to check the accuracy of any details published.   Advertisers wishing to continue their advert for more than one moshould inform us of that and the advert will be left in place.  During the Covid 19 pandemic adverts will not be culled monthly since it is unlikely that the market for steamboating items will be very active.  However, please continue to send in your adverts and they will be posted.  If your item sells please let us know so we can remove the advert.

FOR SALE

Single Cylinder Wilkinson Launch Engine

9 September 2021

This modern launch engine with a well-worked out lubrication system for clean, quiet running was designed and built by Sam Wilkinson to suit an 18-ft launch and modified by Ian McAlpine. It runs well, has clocked up very few hours and to all intents and purposes is practically new.

It is a slide valve single of 65-mm bore x 75-mm stroke (approx 3 x 2 1/2 inches) with slip-eccentric reversing gear, pumped lubrication to valve-chest, cylinder and crosshead/small end as well as wick-feed via nylon tubes to other bearings. It comes complete with a belt-driven slow-running pumpset (feed + condensate) also built by Sam.

Approx overall dimensions (excluding pumpset) are:- Height: 19-ins above bearers.

Length: bedplate 8 1/2-ins.

Over couplings 13-ins.

Width: bedplate 11 1/4-ins.

Overall 13-ins.

There is also a propeller made to match the engine, 16 x 23”  (LH) and a second propeller 15 x 24-ins (RH).

Offers in the region of: £900

Contact: Adrian Birtles, adrianbirtles AT btinternet DOT com or 01794 516456

We have been asked to advertise an interesting over-square 6” bore x 5” stroke single cylinder launch engine built in the USA by Scripps Foundry & Machine works of Fredericksburg, Texas.

This engine was probably built in the 1970s and the pictures show it to be designed along classic lines and exhibiting features that nod toward early 20^th century US Navy pinnace engine practice, including the columnar frame and pattern of reversing quadrant. It has Stephenson’s link reversing and a crosshead-driven feed pump. There is with it what appears to be an exhaust feed water heat exchanger.

The engine, unused for nearly 30 years and showing exterior rust, is in need of complete restoration. It is being sold by its late owner’s son-in-law who has found a number of letters from foundry owner Robert Scripps indicating that this engine was imported to Britain in 1994 for use in a steam narrowboat project which never came to fruition. It, or a similar single, had possibly seen action in a small stern wheeler in the US.

The engine is currently stored near Louth, Lincolnshire and since this is a large and heavy engine  - it stands over three feet high - collection would require an appropriate hoist and logistics.

Offers are invited in the region of £1200 – but talk to me!

Contact: Mark Alexander           

markalexander830 at btinternet dot com     or     07733 484654

  For Sale     

An unused classic vertical firetube boiler 

 

                            18th July 2021

A unique opportunity to purchase an unused vertical fire tube boiler built to a classic 1972 Stuart Turner design. This boiler design was offered by Stuart Turner as a suitable match for their ‘Cygnet’ engine, the marine version of the 5A.

It has been constructed to an extremely high standard, with 3/8 inch thick seamless steel tubing for the boiler shell, extensive weld NDT and a heat treatment furnace stress relief of the complete fabrication.

Interlocking mahogany strip cladding is fitted, with brass finishing rings around all bosses.

Key dimensions are 16” inch shell diameter, 30 inch height to top of shell and 63 inch height to top of chimney. Grate diameter is 11 inches and there are 19 solid drawn 11 SWG seamless steel fire tubes of 11/4 inch outside diameter.

Working pressure is 100PSIG, with 200 PSIG initial hydraulic test.

The boiler has just been brought in to the SBAS Inspection Scheme and is offered with a clear ‘No Defects’ report, recent hydraulic test and 14 month certificate from 5 May 2021.

The new safety valve comes with a 6.8 Bar Test Certificate and 12 month guarantee.

This boiler could be installed in a suitable boat and steamed without any need for further work.

A properly engineered oil firing conversion kit is also offered as an optional extra, using a new Riello RDB 36 kW burner. The burner fits on to the fire hole opening via an adaptor plate and spacer, with Vermiculite insulating blocks placed over the fire grate. The boiler can be switched between coal and oil firing in a few minutes. Boiler evaporation on oil firing is equivalent to forced draught coal firing.

Please call John Shanahan on 01642 319600, 07802 946419 or email johnws.shanahan@gmail.com for further details.

                    

These efficient and sought after pumps become available only very occasionally. Here is a rare opportunity to purchase a fully restored Weir Junior horizontal boiler feed pump in really excellent working and cosmetic condition.

Installation of one of these in a typical steamboat power plant opens up the possibility of considerably increased engine power output for a given firing rate and is well worth considering. The pump can deliver to the boiler against significant flow resistance, so a steaming economiser can be added to the uptake of a water tube boiler or the smoke hood of a fire tube boiler. An exhaust steam feed heater can also be added. Feed rate is smoothly controllable and power is not wasted as with an engine driven feed pump.

This pump has a two and a half inch bore steam cylinder, four inch stroke and a one and a half inch bore double acting water end. It has the well known Weir valve gear and is reliably self starting from any point in the stroke.

It is ideally sized for a steamboat power plant and will keep up with 200lb/hr evaporation at slightly less than ten strokes per minute. A fine adjustment throttle valve is fitted to the steam chest inlet to regulate stroke rate.

It comes complete with a cast iron drip tray and a Dunbar and Slater sight feed mechanical lubricator. It strokes smoothly on just 2psi air pressure.

It was in continuous use until a factory closure and is rust free, both internally and externally. The steam end was virtually unworn and just needed a new set of Weir piston rings. The water end bronze cylinder liner showed some signs of wear and was replaced with a new standard size liner. New Weir water end piston seals were also fitted. The suction and delivery valves are in excellent condition, leak free and with springs intact.

Please contact John Shanahan for further details at Johnws.shanahan@gmail.com or by calling 01642 319600/ 07802 946419

           

     

   For Sale

Mumford single cylinder circulating      pump engine converted to launch engine with SLRG

                                                           

  7th June 2021