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Within a month of the loss of the Cobra in September 1901(see thread – HMS Cobra) the Controller of the Navy sent a memo to the Senior Naval Lord: “I think we must thoroughly try the turbine before we generally adopt it and the sooner the better.” This memo shows the strength of support in parts of the Admiralty for the new propulsion system, despite the problems and set backs experienced with Viper and Cobra.
While arguments about the use of the turbine in destroyers raged within the Admiralty, Parsons commissioned a new experimental destroyer on spec from Hawthorn Leslie. The construction of the ship was financed by C J Leyland, one of Parsons directors. The ship had very similar dimensions to Viper but there were some changes to the machinery layout. The LP and astern turbines were in one and the space saved was used to provide two 150 hp reciprocating engines, in line and coupled to an extension to the LP shaft for speeds up to 12 knots. The ship was also equipped with a hand operated retractable bow rudder for going astern.
The new ship was launched in February 2002 but the Admiralty continued to haggle. Eventually the Admiralty sent an inspection team to view the almost completed ship. They found one serious defect, in that the condensers and circulating pump were above the water line, this design fault was probably a consequence of the loss of Parsons most senior engineers in the Cobra tragedy and the defect was to cause endless trouble in service. Nevertheless, the Admiralty eventually agreed to pay £67,000 for the ship and she became HMS Velox.
On trials Velox achieved a maximum of 34.25 knots and the ship behaved splendidly, but because of stoker fatigue, the four hour trial produced an average speed of only 27.25 knots. The ship was burning 10 tons of coal per hour.
Generally Velox produced no more information than had been obtained during the brief life of Viper. The slow speed engines achieved 10.36 knots burning 8.5 cwt per hour, but with plans to increase the fleet cruising speed to 15 knots, this was too slow. The reciprocating engines were later replaced with cruising turbines but without much improvement in efficiency. In 1909, Velox was removed from the active fleet and assigned as an instructional vessel attached to HMS Vernon.
HMS Velox was a great disappointment, and it is a credit to the Admiralty that despite this set back the RN continued its steam turbine programme.
Fred.
Once again I have posted a photo of Velox in my gallery
While arguments about the use of the turbine in destroyers raged within the Admiralty, Parsons commissioned a new experimental destroyer on spec from Hawthorn Leslie. The construction of the ship was financed by C J Leyland, one of Parsons directors. The ship had very similar dimensions to Viper but there were some changes to the machinery layout. The LP and astern turbines were in one and the space saved was used to provide two 150 hp reciprocating engines, in line and coupled to an extension to the LP shaft for speeds up to 12 knots. The ship was also equipped with a hand operated retractable bow rudder for going astern.
The new ship was launched in February 2002 but the Admiralty continued to haggle. Eventually the Admiralty sent an inspection team to view the almost completed ship. They found one serious defect, in that the condensers and circulating pump were above the water line, this design fault was probably a consequence of the loss of Parsons most senior engineers in the Cobra tragedy and the defect was to cause endless trouble in service. Nevertheless, the Admiralty eventually agreed to pay £67,000 for the ship and she became HMS Velox.
On trials Velox achieved a maximum of 34.25 knots and the ship behaved splendidly, but because of stoker fatigue, the four hour trial produced an average speed of only 27.25 knots. The ship was burning 10 tons of coal per hour.
Generally Velox produced no more information than had been obtained during the brief life of Viper. The slow speed engines achieved 10.36 knots burning 8.5 cwt per hour, but with plans to increase the fleet cruising speed to 15 knots, this was too slow. The reciprocating engines were later replaced with cruising turbines but without much improvement in efficiency. In 1909, Velox was removed from the active fleet and assigned as an instructional vessel attached to HMS Vernon.
HMS Velox was a great disappointment, and it is a credit to the Admiralty that despite this set back the RN continued its steam turbine programme.
Fred.
Once again I have posted a photo of Velox in my gallery
