[MarcelB]

In the mid 60s Upper Lakes shipping in canada built 2 lakers.The 1st called the Canadian Century had a 6 cyl.poppet valve B@W slow speed which was a gem of a ship.The 2nd ship was named the Canadian Progress andf for some reason ULS decided to go away from a trusted and true B@W and had 2 x 8 cyl Ruston AOs.I was an oiler on the Century and had a chance to transfer over to the Progress which was in all means a much "better" ship.2 years newer,better aqccoms and all that.Well she was a much nicer looking ship from the outside but as they say beauty is only skin deep.From the time they fired up those 2 monsters they where a horror show.The 1st year they changed somewhere between 80-90 pistons,conn rods,cyl.heads and every fuel injector almost weekly.every man in the engine room where required to work their watches and between 4 to 6 hours ot a day.The money was good but the crew turnover was horrendous.After her 1st year when they very rarely had both engines running at 1 time they ghanged over from HFO to Marine gas oil.This made no differance they still rfused to operate properly.Finally in 1974 they decided to rengine her and put 2 Cats in as m/engs.These where a little better but not much.The ship is still running with her 3rd engine change she now has MAKs in her and they seem to agree with her a little more.The wierd thing is that if they had of waited 6 months they coulld have gotten a Harland Wolfe B@W the same as her sister ship.She was also fitted with Lincoln Ruston generators which ran perfectly up a couple of years ago when they just gave out from old age.Both ships are still running on the Great Lakes in the coal/ore/grain trade and the Century's B@W is still chugging along as for the Progress she holds the record for most crew changes in the eng.room of any lake vessel that I know of.

 

[Fa's that?]

Baron Maclay Re- Naming

The two Eastern Bulkers ships would have been the Kilinn x Tanjong Tokong x Cape Horn and the Kilchrenan x Tanjong Pasir x Baron Wemyss.
Both Tanjong Shipping of Singapore and Eastern Bulkers of Hong Kong were SSM's attempt of flagging out which didn't quite work.

I was on the Baron MacLay, the first to be transferred to Easten Bulkers. We arrived at the anchorage at Jurong and most of the crew went home while the engineers did some survey work etc and the re-naming took place.
The shore squad did a good job of painting in the new name Kilmarnock but slipped up somewhat when the port of registry on two lifeboats and the stern appeared as HONG KNOG.
The new crew and most of the officers were from mainland China with the Old Man & Chief from SSM, the mate and second were British.
Before leaving the Lecky was asked to show his relief how to drive the cranes.
The Chinaman thought it was a piece of p*** until he put the ponder ball through the Chief's dayroom window.

happy days

Hello oldsalt1, I was 4th eng. on the Maclay at the time and remember telling the ch/eng. to take a look over the stern after the painters had finished re-naming her, and I can confirm the HONG KNOG. If my memory is correct I remember that the new lecky had never sailed on an AC powered ship before and joined with his own bedding. I think they tried to convince the lecky ( an ex tanker man with a fancy for the young steward ) to stay on. I think the chief was actually in his accommodation when they put the crane ball through his window
Also remember the long lunches on the poop deck with chips and beers and the stay in the YORK hotel? before flying home.

Happy days indeed. Malky

 

[pandokerry]

Just stumbled across this post....
I also served my apprenticeship with Ruston's and during that time had the 'honour' of working on their brand new design, the AO.
As mentioned by others it was designed by Dr Watson and Bradshaw(?), this was straight from the drawing board into metal, not an upgrade or improvement of an existing engine but a brand new design made by using a very lightweight welded lattice framework rather than the traditional cast frame.

I worked on the first production engine destined for St George(?) BR ferry and remember the owners reps attending for the acceptance test.We all knew that the piston/liner interface was a problem with scuffing and wear and literally held our breath when the owners nominated a piston to be pulled for inspection, fortunately for us the unit was as bright as new pin!
Later I went to work in the research department were we had 3 engines that we tried various ideas sent by the design team to solve the liner lube problem, sometimes crazy ideas, sometimes scary, but very very interesting!
Thank goodness I never sailed with them...

 

[trotterdotpom]

Baron Ardrossan had an engineer from Rustons permanently on board while I was there. He was a very busy boy! Not sure if any of the other Rustons's ships had one too.

John T

 

[A.D.FROST]

Just stumbled across this post....
I also served my apprenticeship with Ruston's and during that time had the 'honour' of working on their brand new design, the AO.
As mentioned by others it was designed by Dr Watson and Bradshaw(?), this was straight from the drawing board into metal, not an upgrade or improvement of an existing engine but a brand new design made by using a very lightweight welded lattice framework rather than the traditional cast frame.

I worked on the first production engine destined for St George(?) BR ferry and remember the owners reps attending for the acceptance test.We all knew that the piston/liner interface was a problem with scuffing and wear and literally held our breath when the owners nominated a piston to be pulled for inspection, fortunately for us the unit was as bright as new pin!
Later I went to work in the research department were we had 3 engines that we tried various ideas sent by the design team to solve the liner lube problem, sometimes crazy ideas, sometimes scary, but very very interesting!
Thank goodness I never sailed with them...

ST.GEORGE ran on MDO and so was the last of the 'AO' powered ship to be re-engined.(so close and yet so far)(Cloud)

 

[howardws]

In about 1974, when I was Third Engineer on Southern Ferries 'Eagle' I attended a Retired Naval Officers Association dinner as guest of my father. The guest of honour was an Engineer Rear Admiral who quizzed me on the problems we were having with 'Eagle's' Pielstick PC3s, numbers one and two in the production line I believe. He said he couldn't understand why any company would buy what were, to all intents, prototypes. I mentioned RFA and Ruston AOs and the conversation abruptly ceased!

 

[Doxfordman]

I had a very strong relationship with Ruston diesels at Newton-Le-Willows. does anyone remember Tony Orall, he was reported to be responsible for the design of the AO piston? I could wax lyrical about the development of the RK 270 engine but that would hijack this thread.

 

[A.D.FROST]

I had a very strong relationship with Ruston diesels at Newton-Le-Willows. does anyone remember Tony Orall, he was reported to be responsible for the design of the AO piston? I could wax lyrical about the development of the RK 270 engine but that would hijack this thread.

RK270 case of badge engineering (English-Electric)after E-E tookover Ruston Diesels of Lincoln and renamed themselves?(a little less haste)

 

[R736476]

I continue to be amazed that almost 7 years after starting this thread, the saga of the AO and its relatives continues......!
Alex

 

[A.D.FROST]

I continue to be amazed that almost 7 years after starting this thread, the saga of the AO and its relatives continues......!
Alex

Lasted longer than the ENGINE(Pint)

 

[R736476]

Lasted longer than the ENGINE(Pint)

Nice one! The three AO engined RFA Rovers entered service between August 1969 and July 1970 and had all received their Pielsticks by 1974.(Pint)

 

[benshipline]

Ruston AO Engines

I read the posts so far with interest.I served as first an oiler on the Canadian Shell Tanker Lakeshell it also had a Ruston AO 8 cyl.Diesel.Once Licenced I was transfered to other Shell Tankers and did return as 3rd and 2nd Engineer.I remember all the operating problems mentioned already.We must have been a silly bunch as our staff turnover was almost nil.Eventually the Engine was replaced with a Cat. but I had already moved on and the ship was no longer owned by Shell Canada

 

[D1566]

I think that we may have installed the very last Ruston RKG12s on the BP 'Shah Deniz' Platform about 10 years ago. If I remember correctly they had moved manufacture from Newton-le-Willows to the old Mirlees factory at Stockport by then.
As someone pointed out earlier; the RK was developed from the English Electric (C)SVT range of engines; primarily used for rail traction, but also favourites for the MOD for standby generators at airfields etc. They were OK for these duties, not perfect by any means (starting one on a cold morning always impressed the neighbours) but seemed to be reasonably reliable.

 

[david freeman]

Sealink Ferry- St David

Back in the 80's I attended a drydock on the St David, and did and witnessed basin trials: This ship/ferry I believe (memory) had a single Ruston AO's for main propulsion. Bedding in of Main Bearings and Bottom ends was difficult, and while reinspecting the bearings after prolong trials, and changing some- The idea of bedding in was when the white metal in the shells had been worn through to the bronze shell? not wiped, in certain pockets: did the engine settle down to acceptable running temperatures all around. I was assured that this was normal, under normal service, and that the vessel remained satisfactory in sevice by the sealink engineers and superintendent? It certainly took me by suprise: however I followed her record in sevice, and as far as I known she ran ok on the Stranrea/Larne Service OK? I just wondered???

 

[NoR]

Just as well these engines weren't fitted to aircraft ! If you know what I mean.

 

[A.D.FROST]

Back in the 80's I attended a drydock on the St David, and did and witnessed basin trials: This ship/ferry I believe (memory) had a single Ruston AO's for main propulsion. Bedding in of Main Bearings and Bottom ends was difficult, and while reinspecting the bearings after prolong trials, and changing some- The idea of bedding in was when the white metal in the shells had been worn through to the bronze shell? not wiped, in certain pockets: did the engine settle down to acceptable running temperatures all around. I was assured that this was normal, under normal service, and that the vessel remained satisfactory in sevice by the sealink engineers and superintendent? It certainly took me by suprise: however I followed her record in sevice, and as far as I known she ran ok on the Stranrea/Larne Service OK? I just wondered???

ST.DAVID twin 16 PC2V Crossley/Pielstick's(same but different, both Widow makers)(Cloud)ST.GEORGE twin AO Ruston

 

[david freeman]

ST.DAVID twin 16 PC2V Crossley/Pielstick's(same but different, both Widow makers)(Cloud)ST.GEORGE twin AO Ruston

Thank You! Memory is a Dangerous Implement without the written reports.

 

[Engine Serang]

In the 1970's I read a paper, Transactions of the I Mar E, about SSM's experience with the Ruston AO engine. My recollections are that it was a horror story and that great credit must go to the crews who kept them running. The engines drank lube oil and burned out exhaust valves like nobody's business. They were eventually re-engines with TM 410's which apparently was not an inspired choice. I would love to read that paper once again, can anyone give me a Christmas present.

 

[uisdean mor]

In the 1970's I read a paper, Transactions of the I Mar E, about SSM's experience with the Ruston AO engine. My recollections are that it was a horror story and that great credit must go to the crews who kept them running. The engines drank lube oil and burned out exhaust valves like nobody's business. They were eventually re-engines with TM 410's which apparently was not an inspired choice. I would love to read that paper once again, can anyone give me a Christmas present.

no Present really but suspect the article was a lengthy coverage of the drama in The Motor Ship. I seem to remember a particular focus on the Temple Arch which suffered almost total failure including many days adrift in Northern waters. Cannot remember the year of publication - sorry

 

[Chillytoes]

Serang, I remember that paper. I also remember an earlier paper lauding the choice of AO's for these ships at the time of building. Wonder what happened to that particular author?
In the later paper I recall that even the panels in the accommodation alleyway had to be replaced as they couln't be cleaned of the oil and grease left by the poor engineers as they staggered back to their cabins for a short rest before the next breakdown.