September 2022

By
Unusually, the focus in September was not so much about the on-going maintenance of our beloved vessel, but was more about the reason we do what we do – operating this unique piece of maritime history. Having sailed from Liverpool to Acton Bridge at the end of August, it was nice to see her moored up in the tranquil Cheshire countryside, allowing the public the opportunity to view her whilst we worked at a rather more leisurely pace cleaning and making her ready for the real purpose of the trip – to host a milestone birthday party for one of our members on 11th September. Having polished the Wheelhouse and Engine Room brasses, cleaned the windows, cleaned and tidied the Galley and Engine Room and washed down the decks, the vessel looked in good shape for the festivities. Fires were then lit mid-week with a view to having a head of steam for the Saturday in order to make a few minor running adjustments to the engine ahead of the big day. As we anticipated an 11.00 am sailing on the Sunday, a couple of our Engineers volunteered to stay onboard overnight on Saturday with a view to rallying the fires at 7.00am to ensure our prompt departure from the berth. Timing on this trip was important in order to arrive at Dutton Locks and Sutton Weaver Swing Bridge at the allotted times as agreed with the CRT who operate the locks and bridges on the Weaver Navigation. The furnaces were not the only fires lit that morning as the Galley range had been lit on which bacon and sausages were cooked - fuel for the Engineers! As a mark of respect following the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II, our Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service flag and our National Historic Ships defaced Red Ensign were flown at half-mast as we left the berth with our ‘Birthday Boy’, his immediate family and other members aboard. In lovely sailing conditions we proceeded down river through Dutton Locks, giving a long blast on the ships whistle as we passed the moored ‘Daniel Adamson’ hosting a visitors open day at Sutton Weaver before swinging ‘Kerne’ just before Marsh Locks. On the return leg we were treated to a lovely buffet lunch for all hands before we tied up again at Acton Bridge. Having given the boiler a few days to cool down, we raked through the furnaces and emptied them of ash, which is shovelled into ash bins and hoisted up though the Boiler Room skylights onto the deck where the ash was bagged and removed for disposal ashore – a rather dusty job, not only for the person doing the shovelling down below, but given the stiff breeze, also for those doing the bagging. A thorough wash down of the decks and superstructure was then required in order to leave the vessel spick and span and ready for the Leigh Arms Steam Party on 1st and 2nd October where we hope you will come down to see us.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

July 2023

By
Kerne has remained in Canning Dock throughout the month with the crew giving conducted tours around the vessel when members are in attendance. One very interesting recent visitor was an Australian gentleman and his wife who are members of the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney harbour which amongst its exhibits is the Steam Tug ‘Waratah’. It just so happened that in the mid 1970’s we were befriended by an Australian gent by the name of Peter Jones who was having an extended visit to the UK and he joined us as a temporary volunteer. He described that in Sydney he and others had embarked on a project to restore Waratah. Somewhat larger than Kerne at 105ft, she was built in 1902 by the Australian Government Dockyard and fitted with steam reciprocating engines built by Ross and Duncan of Govan on the Clyde. During Peter’s time in the UK, we were able to discuss common issues that both they and us had to confront in preserving these ancient vessels and I am pleased to report that
Read more

August 2022

By
Whilst there is never any real let-up in the work needed to keep a 109 year old steam tug in active condition, there is nothing like the a fast approaching trip to speed things up and August has been no exception. The outstanding welding to the new bunker cross deck continued apace, the main welding being pretty much complete and the square apertures for the bunker lids cut out and the surrounding lips formed. In order to make the tug presentable, areas to be finished off have been masked before primer and 2-pack black top coat was applied across the deck. The letter ‘K’ of Kerne that was lost when the corroded upper sections of the bunker were cut away has thankfully been reinstated, as it had been suggested that if the port side of the bunkers appeared to be called ‘Erne’ we should name the starboard side ‘Eric’!! The suggestion was not adopted. Work continued over six work sessions to repaint white band beneath the rail. This entailed flap wheel grinder preparation, water wash off,
Read more

March 2023

By
To say that March has been ‘full-on’ would be no exaggeration as we approach our operating season. The most important element being successful boiler inspections without which we are going nowhere. Firstly after a successful dry inspection, fire bars had to be refitted in the two furnaces, there being two sets of bars in each furnace supported by a very heavy central bridge piece. That done, the two folding smokebox doors had to be closed and the multiple dogs correctly engaged to ensure a smoke-tight fit. After filling the boiler with approx 8 tons of water fires were then lit and over three days the boiler was slowly warmed up and steam raised to 180psi for the Boiler Inspector to witness the lifting of the safety valves to his satisfaction. The latter was followed by engine trials alongside the quay at Sandon which again was successful with only a few minor issues. The steam test did reveal a failed joint in the safety valve waste pipe which runs up the front of the funnel. This joi
Read more