News

Regional  Flag ship Medway Queen was appointed “South East Regional Flagship for 2020” by National Historic Ships UK earlier this year so, on the same day as the AGM, and following a regular Board meeting, the pennant was ceremonially hoisted on PS Medway Queen by our President, The Rt. Hon. the Lord West of Spithead GCB DSC , in the presence of the Mayor of Medway, Cllr. Habib Tejan . This was a much lower key event than we would have liked due to current restrictions, but we were able to include the local media. The guests arrived exactly on time, the weather cooperated (for a change) and a small party proceeded on board. The tide was rising and the NHS- UK ensign flew proudly at the stern of the ship. The TV crew, from ITV Meridian, were ready and Lord West hoisted the Flagship pennant on the jack staff at the bow and pulled the lanyard to unfurl it. Camera s clicked and whirred and we all breath e d a sigh of relief! Lord West said a few words and then he and Mayor Tejan were conduct ed round the ship by Pam Bathurst, MQPS Members hip Secreta ry. They inspected the refurbished Aft Saloon and the Engine room before proceeding back to the Visitor Centre for tea and biscuits. All masked and distance d as necessary of course.

Pictures are in the gallery. Media, Members Photos, Misc.

The SBA has teamed up with BESST (The Boiler and Engineering Skills Training Trust) to produce some training modules.

These Marine Steam Modules have been prepared by a group of experienced marine engineers and experts from the Steam Boat Association, BESTT and Maritime Heritage Trust including Bob Garnett, John Megoran, Mark Rudall, Kevin Slater and Rob van Es who co-ordinated and edited the work. The work is part of the BESTT National Lottery Heritage Fund "Skills for the Future" project to extend syllabus based steam heritage engineering training, whose first marine trainee has recently started at the Windermere Jetty Museum. The modules are aimed at trainees and other new entrants to these topics and don't aim to offer a comprehensive account - references to textbooks and other sources are provided.  The modules will, however, be of real interest to any steamboater; read them at  www.bestt.org.uk/training_plan. 

These syllabus modules are published in draft and comment is welcome. Please forward any comments to: enquiries@bestt.org.uk

Tony Young alerted us to this fabulous instructional video on raising steam on one of His Majesty's Destroyers.

I'll add it to the video library too...

I was recently contacted by an Indian company (Tinytech) offering steam plants which might suit members, and we are passing this information on for your interest.

Mark Rudall offered the following wise words on experience with this company:

Tiny Tech, India, have advertised their steam engines and Yarrow type boilers for many years and they are built for the developing world to provide simple power sources often on indigenous fuels. We have been sent their current price list, which is here for your interest. It is important to note the caveat that imported boilers, however robustly built, would not necessarily meet European demands for provenance of materials, certification of welds etc.. Moreover, the engines, given their target market, are somewhat crude, but do operate.

TinyTech wrote as follows:

Dear Steam Friends,

I have conviction in my heart that steam power is going to come back sooner or later.

So with great difficulties I developed steam engines from 2.5 hp to 70 hp and also water tube boilers of various sizes.

If any of your members is seriously interested in steam engine, he can contact me.

I will be pleased to give my full co operation.

I am giving below the price list of my steam engine

STEAM ENGINES FOR YOUR OWN POWER

SINGLE CYLINDER STEAM ENGINES

(1) Single cylinder double acting steam engine 6 hp, cylinder dia 90.2mm x stroke 80mm, US$ 1200/-

(2) Single cylinder double acting steam engine 10 hp, cylinder dia 101.6mm x stroke 116mm, US$ 1500/-

(3) Single cylinder double acting steam engine 20 hp, cylinder dia 127mm x stroke 146mm, US$2100 /-

(4) Single cylinder double acting steam engine 25 hp, cylinder dia 139.7mm x stroke 146mm, US$ 2400/-

(5) Single cylinder double acting steam engine 30 hp, cylinder dia 152.4mm x stroke 146mm, US$ 2700/-

(6) Single cylinder double acting steam engine 50 hp, cylinder dia 190mm x stroke 146mm, 4200US$ /-

(7) Single cylinder double acting steam engine 70 hp, cylinder dia 190mm x stroke 200mm, US$ 6000/-

DOUBLE CYLINDER TWIN V TYPE STEAM ENGINES

(1) Double cylinder double acting steam engine 5 hp, cylinder dia 63mm x stroke 80mm, US$ 1800/-

(2) Double cylinder double acting steam engine 8 hp, cylinder dia 76.2mm x stroke 80mm , US$ 2200/-

(3) Double cylinder double acting steam engine 12 hp, cylinder dia 90.2mm x stroke 80mm, US$ 2400/-

(5) Double cylinder double acting steam engine 20 hp, cylinder dia 101.6mm x stroke 116mm, US$ 2600/-

(6) Double cylinder double acting steam engine 28 hp, cylinder dia 114.3mm x stroke 116mm, US$ 3000/-

(7) Double cylinder double acting steam engine 36 hp, cylinder dia 140mm x stroke 107 mm, US$ 3200/-

(8) Double cylinder double acting steam engine 40 hp, cylinder dia 140mm x stroke 116mm, US$ 4000/-

(9) Double cylinder double acting steam engine 100 hp, cylinder dia 190mm x stroke 146mm, US$7000/-.

COMPOUND STEAM ENGINES V TYPE (HP CYLINDER X LP CYLINDER X STROKE)

(1) Double cylinder double acting compound steam engine 6 hp, cylinders dia 63 x 90 x stroke 80mm,US$2000

(2) Double cylinder double acting compound steam engine 9 hp, cylinder dia 90 x 114 x stroke 80mm,US$ 2200

(3) Double cylinder double acting compound steam engine 15 hp cyl dia 90mmx127mmxstroke116mm, US$2800

(4) Double cylinder double acting compound steam engine 22 hp, cyl dia 101.6x139.7xstroke116mm, US$ 3600

(5) Double cylinder double acting compound steam engine 32 hp, cyl dia 114.3x165.1xstroke 146mm, US$ 6200

(6) Double cylinder double acting compound steam engine 40 hp, cyl dia 127x 177.8 xstroke 146mm, US$ 7400

(7) Double cylinder double acting compound steam engine 50 hp, cyl dia 139.7x 190 xstroke 146mm, US$ 8000

VELJIBHAI DESAI

(76 years engineer promoting people's own power)

AADHUNIK GLOBAL ENERGY

TINYTECH PLANTS

Tagore Road, RAJKOT - 360002, INDIA

91 92 27 60 65 70 ( MOBILE)

energy@tinytechindia.com

www.tinytechindia.com

John Barnard was good enough to pass along a recording he made of an SBA rally in 1990 as broadcast by Anglia TV. 

As he says "Sadly some of the faces are no longer with us but I’m sure it will bring back a lot of memories for our more senior members and show the younger ones our activities of the past  ----- My!  30 years ago, as they say  'Don’t time fly' ".

We have included it in our "rotating" video library, or you can see it here

A PROUD ANNOUNCEMENT

The Steam Tug Kerne Preservation Society Ltd has been awarded ‘The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service’ in the Queen's Honours List, published on 2nd June 2018.

This is an MBE equivalent and the highest award given to a voluntary group. It is the first time a historic vessel preservation group has been honoured in this way.

The award was created in 2002 by the Queen to celebrate the anniversary of her Coronation and recognises excellence in voluntary activity carried our by groups in the community. The assessment process for the award was conducted on behalf of the Queen by Captain Hugh Daglish LVO JP DL Royal Navy ex Commander of HMY Britannia and His Honour Judge John Roberts DL.

The award citation honours the rescue and preservation of Kerne, one of Britain’s oldest operational steamships. The Queens award is recognition of the work of our group over the last 47 years. Our member’s dedication has been an example of what can be achieved for the benefit of the nation’s maritime heritage and is enjoyed by many thousands of people who have seen Kerne steaming to events and come aboard to learn about a living ship of the Titanic era.

Chris Heyes and Paul Kirkbride are attended Buckingham Palace on  Tuesday 5th June for a Royal Garden Party and The Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside is to make a presentation on board Kerne at a later date.

S T Kerne

On behalf of The Steam Tug Kerne Preservation Society Ltd.

Bob Stead

If, like me, you are sick and tired of fielding opt-in/out emails this will come as good news: We (the SBA) have updated our Privacy Policy to comply with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). We didn't need to do much as we already had a pretty good setup. The minor changes that we have now made mean that we are compliant with the new legislation. If you are curious to read our new policy, or are having trouble getting to sleep at night, there is a link to it from this page: http://www.steamboatassociation.org.uk/page-1163374 

And the even better news it that you don't need to do anything - after careful consideration at Committee and seeking suitable advice we are happy that the minimal data that we keep on our members was 'freely given' under our previous Privacy Policy and that the changes for GDPR haven't required us to 're-seek' your permission to continue to hold it - albeit with perhaps a tad more security than before and other statutory requirements with which we have to comply - such as your 'right to be forgotten'.  

Now can we all please get back to the serious business of Steamboating!

Kevin Slater SBA Chair

As announced at the AGM Cyril taylor's engine castings are available from the original foundry that he used.

John Hendry and myself will be visiting the foundry shortly to sort & identify what goes with what.

We will then produce a detailed list of the various items.

Meanwhile the direct contact information is:-

Charles Tyers

Fenland castings

tel: -1778348940

regards John Maltby

Our thanks to Ian Davies for flying the drone an taking these aerial videos during Windermere Week in August 2016.  The videos make Windermere look really inviting - but then, the drone could fly only on the good-weather days!  Enjoy - Roger Heise

Copy and paste this link to your browser

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGwrZFBlVTU&list=PLEKFiIzvqG_yi2d29_05qk6G3DSRDJhVi

or click here to open in a new browser window.

Have a look at this flickr album of ( mainly ) steam boats on Windermere from the 2016 SBA Windermere Week - and some from from earlier years.  Thanks to Robert Beale for compiling the album.

Roger Heise

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertbeale/albums/72157673006102236