News from On Board

March saw Kerne’s intrepid crew battling on with the difficult job of installing the steelwork of the boiler crinolines within the very tight spaces within the boiler casing. The oblong steel frame that has to sit on the boiler crown has been trial fitted, removed and modified, removed and modified again until it sat comfortably in position. Once achieved we could start to create the hoops that are attached to the steel frame, the hoops holding the sections of the lagging blankets in place. Once finished, this will enable us to remove sections of the lagging to facilitate inspections as required by the boiler inspector. Elsewhere below decks work continued on the condenser. Having acquired the rather expensive jointing material, it was necessary to cut to shape the two joints for the forward and aft condenser doors, cut out the centre sections to the correct shape and to carefully mark the positions of the numerous bolt holes and cut these out using a wad punch and hammer on the confi

February started as we left January with the difficult job of boiler lagging preparation dragging on. The issue that creates so much difficulty is the lack of space around the boiler to the side decks and boiler casing. The space is literally inches in some places so there is no possibility of coaxing even the slimmest of our crew members into the space on top of the boiler to position the newly constructed crinolines. In commercial days the majority of jobs relating to the boiler was achieved by cutting and craning off the boiler casing with the Wheelhouse in situ, to reveal the boiler within but such measures are now impracticable and unaffordable for our volunteer group. So, to achieve our goal other methods have to be employed. Some years ago, several areas of the top of the boiler casing, including a section beneath the wheelhouse floor were cut out in order to provide what are essentially inspection plates that can easily be removed to facilitate access points for the Boiler Ins

Another year dawns and the volunteers get straight back into the swing of Saturday working aboard with woodworking, welding, painting and electrical work amongst the first jobs of the year. The woodworking relates to the continuing work to construct the walkway down the port side of the boiler, this being a robust structure which can be used to access the boiler shell itself, which will help immeasurably when we install the boiler lagging, and onto which we can store the ash buckets when we are in steam. The welding work was primarily for the continued construction of the crinolines for the boiler lagging which is progressing well. As will be appreciated, in one piece this structure would be too large to fit down any of the skylights or hatches accessing the Engine or Boiler Rooms, so it has to capable of being dismantled into small sections that will fit, and can be bolted together once in position. Whilst involved with steelwork, the opportunity was taken to replace the rather ruste

Happy New Year to all our volunteers, friends and supporters. December is historically a quiet month as we approach Christmas, but this year we have also had to deal with the appalling weather. Cold we can deal with, but persistent wet weather pretty much rules out any significant work on deck. Down below is the place to be when the wind is howling and the rain is battering down. Bob Adam had clearly volunteered to take on the plum job of constructing the walkway down the port side of the boiler in order to avoid the weather. The supporting timber frame is well on the way, and once the job is complete access to both sides of the boiler will assist considerably in the fitting of the crinolines and lagging material. Work in manufacturing the crinolines has continued on board and away from the vessel and is making good progress. Also down below, work on pipework to the new boiler circulating pump progresses slowly as winter lay-up on the boiler itself is completed. Unfortunately, work on

Winter lay-up work is now in full swing as boiler cleaning on the fire and water sides continue, the later ensuring that the boiler is completely dry so to avoid any corrosion during the cold and damp winter months. To assist in this we deploy dehumidifiers alternately in the Engine and Boiler Rooms. To be effective it is necessary to make these spaces as air-tight as possible – not easy on a vessel like Kerne – but the funnel cap and covers round the Boiler Room vents help considerably. To enable us to similarly keep the Wheelhouse dry, we are extending the wiring circuitry to this part of the vessel so we can deploy the dehumidifiers here as well. As part of our proactive boiler maintenance program we remove valves from the boiler shell in sequence for checking and refurbishment as required, and this is now in full swing. As reported in earlier bulletins, due to deterioration of the boiler shell paint system, we were forced to remove the boiler lagging to enable a full inspection and

We marched into October with no let-up in our preparations for a busy month of steaming. With coal bunkers full, the aft peak and domestic water tanks filled, we lit fires on 4th October to raise steam in our usual slow and careful manner for our planned voyage on 7th October to Acton Bridge for the annual Leigh Arms Steam Gathering. Due to no fault of our own we encountered repeated delays which through our plans out of the window. Firstly, our booked lock out to the River was put back, which in turn delayed our arrival at Eastham for access to the Manchester Ship Canal. Our progress on this waterway was slowed as we were required to allow an outward-bound tug-assisted freighter through the narrows and this delayed our arrival at Weston Marsh Lock. All locks on the River Weaver, together with the swing bridges, are controlled by the Canal and River Trust. This is all well and good, the problem being that their staff finish work at 4.00pm, and despite us having booked the passage, it w

With several sailings on the horizon the new month was upon us with all available hands to the pumps to finish jobs in progress. Furnaces were lit as four tonnes of coal arrived in 1 tonne bags (our preferred method of delivery) but sadly the delivery vehicle was not equipped with a Hiab to swing the bags over the bunkers, so we had to resort to shovelling, firstly into the starboard bunker, and then by swinging the vessel round by manpower and ropes, into the port bunker with more than the odd light-hearted utterance of ‘We are getting too old for this!!’ The day also included the annual visit from the Marine Surveyor who registered a pass and issued the requisite certification required by the Port Authorities. The mood of the crew became somewhat sombre several days later as a large turnout of crew and many others from the world of steam preservation attended the funeral of our past Chairman George Coles on 6th September. A steam man through and through it was fitting that his final