Model Boat Mayhem

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Author Topic: Anyone recognize this launch...?  (Read 1865 times)

bunkerboy

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Anyone recognize this launch...?
« on: August 09, 2012, 06:44:17 am »

I live in Hong Kong, and about 4 years ago I bought on E-bay a steam launch called "Our Albert" - I bought it from a dealer in Sheffield in England, but I have no idea of its history etc. Any info anyone...? Anyone recognise it from the photos..?

It is quite exquisitely made, and is clinker-built, and seems to be one of the Smeed designs, and probably a River Queen

I have finally taken it down off the shelf, and sorted it out and got it running. However, it has no way of actually going backwards! - It only has a forward gear....

I am sure that there must be some family joke involving the person who made this... The boat is named "Our Albert", who was I think a standard "fall guy" in music hall /vaudeville circa 1900. The helmsman is a very pasty-faced, tall. skinny and awkward chap with a droopy moustache, and with a cat sitting next to him … So it is possible that the builder might be (or might have a friend or family-member who was) a pasty-faced, tall, skinny and awkward chap called Albert with a droopy moustache, with a cat.... (!)   Does anyone recognize him at all..??!!

Although the man's facial features etc are pretty crude, he is ingeniously double-jointed under his blazer so that when the servo puts the rudder over, he lurches across with the tiller....

Does this sound familiar at all??

One other little clue I had is that the butane tank had been made by a chap called Tony Sant, who used to run a company called Finescale Engineering in Leamington Spa in England. I have been in touch with him, and he said that he had made a series of these butane tanks for a chap called Mike Legge, who used to make model boat oscillating engines, and who had now retired to the Cotswolds, but there the trail seems to run cold..

In fact the boat does not have an oscillator, but has a 2 cylinder double-acting engine, without reversing gear. The engine is a real little jewel, and fairly purrs away like a little old sewing machine. It will turn over on the slightest little whiff of steam - it can be ticking over almost before the gauge has started to move during steam-raising. A few pictures of the engine are enclosed. Anyone recognize it at all?  The aluminium knob on the engine is a hand pump to refill the boiler from the tanks under the seats when it is hot.  The boiler seems to be a Hemmings one – is this correct..?

As I said, any info gratefully received… Since I intend passing this boat on down through the family, it would be nice to have its full history…


















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KNO3

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Re: Anyone recognize this launch...?
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2012, 05:59:11 pm »

Interesting engine. Any chance for a video to see it running?
Sorry but I can't help with the identification.
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Stormbringer

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Re: Anyone recognize this launch...?
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2012, 10:57:42 pm »

lovely model and sorry cant help with its history
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bunkerboy

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Re: Anyone recognize this launch...?
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2012, 01:36:44 pm »

Never mind- thanks for the reply....  as far as a video is concerned - I will get one uploaded in a couple of weeks - I am just off on holiday!

Cheers!
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