Maritime History > Miscellaneous Maritime and Naval History

Paddle Steamers on Medway

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MartinR:

* Compound: the steam works first at high pressure in one cylinder, before passing to a low pressure cylinder to get more work out of it.  It's more efficient that doing all the expansion in one go.
* Reciprocating: traditional to-and-fro with a crank, as opposed to a turbine.
* Oscillating: the piston rods are attached directly to the crankshaft, and so the cylinders have to swing to-and-fro .  If you've ever seen a Mamod model, that's a oscillating cylinder.All oscillating engines are reciprocating, but most reciprocating engines employ a crosshead (or in earlier ones a beam) to keep the piston rod running straight, and use a separate connecting rod.  IIRC, Waverley is oil fired.

Archi93:

--- Quote from: MartinR on November 03, 2020, 10:19:24 PM ---I've been on her a couple of times.  We lived for a while in Hathaway Court, down by the Esplanade in Rochester, and could hear her plaintive whistle as she maneuvered.  I'm trying to find a reference, but doesn't she have an oscillating engine? I've found an image on Wikicommons and there seems to be a crosshead, so they are not oscillators.

--- End quote ---
I've just found The Kingswear Castle souvenir guide book. It says the engine is a compound reciprocating steam engine. (Whatever that means!) It was rescued from an earlier Kingswear Castle built in 1904, the engine was then placed in the present Kingswear Castle which was built in 1924.The engine room and boiler room are combined, which was more common on continental paddlers than UK ones.The Kingswear Castle is reputed to be the last working coal fired paddle steamer in Britain. (not sure about The Waverley which used to be here too). She was restored from 1971 onwards and gained full Department of Transport Passenger Certificates in May 1985. A fitting tribute to all those who had restored her.

Dave Smith:
Diapason. For want of something to do, I've just been looking back at this thread & note your fine photo' of the City of Rochester. Is she steaming ( or "smoking"!) up river with Gillingham cement works in the background? We used to walk along the river path there on our way to the Strand. p.s. Thank you Stuart for all your comments on restored/ renovated ships at the yard. Most interesting.

Mike Gunnill:

--- Quote from: Archi93 on November 03, 2020, 09:38:20 PM ---The Kingswear Castle Paddle Steamer. Did any one go on The Kingswear Castle when it used to ply the Medway. It has now gone to the village of its name in Devon, Kingswear. Several years ago, we boarded The Kingswear Castle at Strood for an all day bird-watching cruise towards Sheerness. We were greeted on-board her with the delicious smell of hot bacon, served in baps. What a treat. I can just imagine the smell of warm bacon now. Photos are the cranks in the engine and the name board over her wheelhouse.

--- End quote ---




These paddle steamers remind me of my early days commuting from Hull to Barton on Humber. Pre Humber bridge of course. I remember the smell of bacon, always worked for me!

MartinR:
I've been on her a couple of times.  We lived for a while in Hathaway Court, down by the Esplanade in Rochester, and could hear her plaintive whistle as she maneuvered.  I'm trying to find a reference, but doesn't she have an oscillating engine? I've found an image on Wikicommons and there seems to be a crosshead, so they are not oscillators.

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