February 2023

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As spring approaches, we moved into the business end of our winter works program, hastened by the imminent visit of the Boiler Inspector to carry out the ‘dry’ inspection. All bring well and upon satisfactory completion we will be working towards a trial steaming towards the end of March. In the meantime and mindful of the rising cost of coal, we have taken delivery of new boiler lagging material and once we pass our live steam test, we are looking to install the lagging as soon as practicable. To achieve this new crinolines to support the lagging are in the process of manufacture and will be installed soon as. The ‘stick-on’ rivets have been painted and really look the part, giving the cross bunker deck the appearance of a riveted structure. The newly painted Hayward Tyler Duplex pump has been carefully craned down into the Engine Room and with the aid of chain blocks, ropes and crow bars was coaxed up onto the new bedplates. Some work was found to be necessary to the steam piping which is now in the process of installation. Also down below the engine impulse valve which had started to stick during our return steaming to Sandon last October needed attention. This valve delivers live steam to the low-pressure cylinder to enable the engine to be started when the high pressure motion has stopped on dead centre. Upon stripping we found that some gland packing had broken up, so this was removed and the gland repacked. We now just have to cut a suitable joint in order to replace the cover plate to box this job off. The new mounting for the replacement wind generator has now been secured to the new location to the after port side of the rope guard above the Engine Room casing; all that is now needed to complete this part of the job is a short length of pipe between the mounting and the casing to be welded into position. The necessary conduit has all been cut, bent as required using the traditional method of putting the pipe through a hole drilled in a stout plank and bending gently, and wiring threaded through prior to final fixing into position. The section of leaking deck above the Forward Cabin had been prepared for welding, but we discovered that the corroded section extends beneath the starboard steering block, which itself was mounted on a wooden base which was also in poor condition. A hard wood replacement is being sourced. Yet another example that any job on a 110 year old vessel turns out greater than at first thought. Our two lifejacket deck lockers were showing their age and in need of attention. In her commercially operating days there was no such provision on deck, so the lockers we installed were definitely of non-original appearance. The lockers have now been strengthened with internal timber frames and the tops replaced with ply, covered with EPDM rubber sheet for waterproofing. After repainting they now look more in keeping with the vessel. At the present time we are on schedule for our steam test, but there are plenty of jobs still to do.

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