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Author Topic: Old Boiler!!! - Coal Fired  (Read 1458 times)

DBS88

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Old Boiler!!! - Coal Fired
« on: July 12, 2020, 08:16:12 pm »

As you know I am a newcomer to the world of steam so have been trying to learn. To help me I have bought a few bits and pieces, amongst them is an old engine and boiler, here is the old Boiler that goes with the Stuart MTB 1B 180 engine (separate topic) - its next on the list for some TLC and a refurb. Its coal fired with its own coal scuttle. I assume the fire is lit in the scuttle and then is put part way into the boiler so air can get to the coals - it would be so nice to get this working, can you imagine both the smell of steam and a real coal fire in a model boat?  It does not look to be scratch built - it may be an old Stuart 461, not sure when they were made? what do you think?
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carlfmiller

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Re: Old Boiler!!! - Coal Fired
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2020, 08:34:01 pm »

Interesting project and I hope it works. The cross tubes in the flue looks to be very  efficient!  Can you provide the scale of the boiler, how long, what dia, and weight?  I am also curious as to what kind of glue holds the lagging in place with no banding.  The notion of a coal-fired boiler in a model sounds nice and I hope you find coal that makes a lot of smoke.


-Carl
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rhavrane

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Re: Old Boiler!!! - Coal Fired
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2020, 09:30:22 pm »

Bonjour,
I wish you more success than me with my Yarrow boiler : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h-gJeoZH3U so I will follow your progress with a great interest.
 
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Raphaël
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SteamboatPhil

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Re: Old Boiler!!! - Coal Fired
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2020, 10:45:03 am »

Just a heads up, that is not a coal fired boiler it is an early version of a centre flue boiler and was designed to be fired by either a paraffin or vaporising petrol blow lamp. Although the way the tubes are laid out looked as if it would work they proved not to be that efficient, and the improved design was to use cross tubes (around the 1940's). You may be able to find a gas firing system for the boiler, although you might have to make a plate  for the centre flue to reduce the size for the gas blow lamp.
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Jerry C

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Re: Old Boiler!!! - Coal Fired
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2020, 11:10:15 am »

Maybe something like this 2kW Seivert modification.





Jerry.

KNO3

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Re: Old Boiler!!! - Coal Fired
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2020, 08:00:22 pm »

This could be a Stuart boiler, hidden under that strange wooden cladding. Anyway, it was meant to be fired with a blowlamp type burner, as the others have said.
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DBS88

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Re: Old Boiler!!! - Coal Fired
« Reply #6 on: August 12, 2020, 09:20:31 pm »

Thank you for the replies and sorry for the delay in saying any more about this. Its been sat on my bench awaiting its turn for further attention, the arrival of a new (to me) tug has distracted me as I have worked on getting it ready to go in the water. I agree that this boiler looks to be better fired with a blow torch. There is no doubt that someone has tried to run this on coal but it would be difficult to replenish the coal and to manage an air gap and produce sufficient heat - maybe I will give it a go but I can't see it working. In the meantime I will clean the soot from the inside the flue and give the inside a descale.
Having measured the boiler I now believe to be the Stuart 491
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KNO3

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Re: Old Boiler!!! - Coal Fired
« Reply #7 on: August 12, 2020, 09:33:52 pm »

Yes, that must be it. Where do you have the old Stuart catalogue scans from? I'd like to have them too,  it possible.
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frazer heslop

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Re: Old Boiler!!! - Coal Fired
« Reply #8 on: August 12, 2020, 10:09:40 pm »

You will find some drawings for a suitable burner set up in this book
https://www.teepublishing.co.uk/books/marine-modelling-steamboating/high-speed-marine-steam-engine-1/
cheers
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SteamboatPhil

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Re: Old Boiler!!! - Coal Fired
« Reply #9 on: August 13, 2020, 09:45:41 am »

Dave
if you PM me your e mail address I will send you a copy of the book


Phil
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DBS88

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Re: Old Boiler!!! - Coal Fired
« Reply #10 on: August 13, 2020, 04:24:06 pm »

Frazer and Phil thank you for the book suggestions that is very much appreciated. Re the scans of the Stuart catalogue I found that one page on a website quite by chance whilst researching the MTB Engine, have looked again to find it once more but no success yet
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DBS88

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Re: Old Boiler!!! - Coal Fired
« Reply #11 on: August 17, 2020, 05:10:28 pm »

I am given to believe that the 461 Boiler features in the 1937/38 Stuart catalouge, it may well therefore appear in both earlier and later catalogues, it would be interesting to know the beginning and end dates for production of the boiler - I am guessing that there are not many of these old catalogues still around?
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DBS88

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Re: Old Boiler!!! - Coal Fired
« Reply #12 on: August 19, 2020, 05:06:37 pm »

Have now descaled the boiler, the sight glass works as it should and I checked it for leaks and it all appears to be fine. I decided to remove the cladding so that the boiler can be seen in its true glory, have given it a gentle clean by hand so as not to remove the boilers charm, I am pleased with the results, I did not want it to look like a brand new boiler. I have enjoyed owning and working on this boiler, however, another exciting project has just arrived so this boiler is going to have to make way to pay for the new and unexpected addition to the fleet. So if you know anyone thats refurbishing a 1920's /30's steam boat, this could be the ideal boiler for their project. Have kept the coal scuttle with the boiler since it has been used to fire the boiler by coal, however, the boiler is clearly intended to use a blow lamp style burner.
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