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Steam windlass - know of any still existing?

15K views 36 replies 20 participants last post by  Irina R 
#1 ·
I'm researching details of deck machinery on smaller steamships (coasters, short sea traders).

Does anyone know of any existing steam windlass? Either working or non-working, but good enough to inspect its details. If so, where is it and who would I contact?

I know of the one on the PS Waverley (UK). I am hoping to find an older one, like the Emerson Walker and Clarke Chapman steam windlasses used c.1890-1939.

I have uploaded for example two photos of a Clarke Chapman & Co steam windlass, from Fisher's "Engineering for Nautical students" (1936).

Even if you stumble across this thread in months to come, I'll periodically check back for any replies.
 

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#14 · (Edited)
Philip, centre picture is a good one. This and other types of steam winch were very robust, they were built to last the life of a Ship and in some cases beyond that in a shoreside roll, the only real problems there was with them was in regards to the Barrel Nut on the brake band where the thread could be strained due to "over zealous" tightening of the brake handle/screw. Very rarely you had a partly/ broken gear tooth which could be repaired in a particular way (pre-metlok days!!) However the most important thing is that the drains are opened and a decent warm up time is given before operating the Winch
 
#15 ·
Well, such interesting material has come in on steam windlasses and winches. I think what I will do is to send a PM or email to follow up on some of these posts.

I have followed up some of the ships suggested in the earlier posts (not all as yet), and so far ss Robin is looking good from my point of view, with machinery dating from 1898. Its looking like I'll take a trip to UK to see some of this machinery (I have found nothing here in Australia except a couple of CCCo winches). Calling this a research project really helps in rationalising such largesse!

My immediate problem for this thread is that I will be going to Papua New Guinea for work in a couple of days, its a terrible place to do anything web-based and so I'll be effectively absent for 6 weeks. Email works ok though.
 
#17 ·
This picture is taken at a coal bunkering station, not used since 1940. Does anybody know something about it?
It is a steam windlass for coal barges.
I need at least the date of construction. It has to be sometime between 1915-1935.
Clarke Chapman cannot provide any information.
So far as I can see from both photos, it's a standard warping winch dated about 1930 or there abouts, from the condition of the foot pad,(which usually operated a throttle valve), it hasn't been used very much, a strip down clean and grease should get it back into operating condition, probably after new piston rings are fitted in newly honed cylinders. I expect that the haul/lift capacity is around 5 tonnes on a proper rig with about 125ppsi, (say 9 Bar), steam pressure.
 
#21 ·
I once saw a caird and Rainer evaporator door metalocked in Rotterdam one trip, just as I was joining after a sport of leave. For some reason, there were no engineers left on board for us to relieve! Later, after I'd come ashore and was just starting up a repair business, I met the General Manager of Metalock (NL), who had actually carried out the repair on the vap door! The repaired door was still in good order on the vap after about 18 months, before the element was changed in a major modification.
 
#22 ·
All Winches and windlesses on oil tankers were/are steam powered. No sparks! Perhaps there are some small tankers that you could have a look at.
This windless was steam powered. On a 250,000 ton BP tanker in the 70s
 

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#23 ·
George, having another look at the winch it does look as though it has had little use if any at all. What do you think the derelict structure was, is there any sign of a boiler or it's old footing's nearby?
 
#29 ·
Steam winches were found, at one time all over the place where there was a supply of steam!
For many years a small winch survived at KING STREET ground frame. Paisley.
This was the towns gas work siding, the winch being used to move wagons. It remained many years after the gas works had gone, hidden in the encroaching bushes. It survived electrification of the line but has now gone.
I doubt that those who removed it knew what it was.

Steam for ever

regards

Malky
 
#30 ·
Hello there!

I know this is probably not the right place but there seems to be a lot very knowledgeable lads among you all.

I'm doing some research myself. I'm wondering what kind of activity would take place in the stoke-hold of a coal burner when the order 'Full Astern' from 'Full Ahead' without a 'Stop' order was rung -down from the bridge.

In the dark corners of my mind, there seems to be a memory of outrage from the Chief when such an order was rung down. I think they said they preferred to have a 'Stop' immediately followed by a 'Full Astern'. Would this be something to do with the boiler firing rate?

Ardtornish
 
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