March 2023

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 joint dates back to Admiralty days when (as HMT Terrier) the vessel had a folding funnel and the joint in the waste pipe was where it hinged. In the 1950’s in commercial operation with Liverpool Lighterage the funnel was replaced with a rigid structure and rather than replace the waste pipe a joint was created between the two sections. The failed jointing has now been replaced. Another issue that arose from the engine trials was audible confirmation that there was something caught round the propeller which we suspected that we had picked up on our trip back from the Weaver in October. Divers were sent down to investigate to discover 60 feet of rope attached to a plastic buoy marked BS. We think this was a lobster pot marker buoy that somehow had made its’ way from, probably, Beaumaris to the Mersey. Sadly no pot and no lobsters by way of compensation! The new Duplex General Service Pump has now been secured to the new bed plates and piping-up is in progress, and when completed we will be back to having two serviceable steam pumps as well as our emergency electric pumps. Towards the end of the month we received with grateful thanks, confirmation that our application to National Historic Ships for a grant of £1000 towards the repair of the section of starboard decking had been approved. To facilitate the repairs a section of deck head lining in our renovated Captain’s Cabin has been stripped out by our volunteers as well as preparation of the deck area prior to the new plates being welded into position. Work continues apace but we do appear to be on track for our first sailing in 2023 that will see Kerne move from Sandon to Merseyside Maritime Museum in Canning Dock planned for 22-25 April (to be confrmed).