June 2024

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To steal a phrase from Robert Burns –‘The best laid plans of mice and men’ can readily be applied to the month of June. There was plenty of action aboard the vessel as we prepared for the annual ‘Live Steam’ visit from the Boiler Inspector ahead of our planned River Mersey Sailing and re-location to Canning Dock for the summer. Significant progress had been made with the boiler lagging in very difficult conditions, but it became apparent that we could not finish the job before we sailed, so we collected the numerous boxes of lagging material from our storage container and stacked them down into the Forward Cabin, with a view to continuing the job in Canning. The first trip out always requires certain preparations, which include checking of life jackets, the hiring and installation of inflatable life rafts and the general checking of on-board equipment. Down below, the Engine Room Pressure Gauges which had been removed to facilitate the manufacture of new replica faces (as the originals had become discoloured) were re-instated, albeit that time prevented the new faces being fitted and the gauges re-calibrated. We like to get the boiler slowly up to pressure ahead of the Boiler Inspector’s visit so we can carry out our own checks that all is in order, and this year was no exception. Fires were lit in good time several days in advance and requisite checks to ensure pumps were operating, overhauled valves and their new joints were working and steam tight and to this point all seemed in order. However it became apparent when testing the injector that the check valve was not shutting off correctly. Steam raising was halted, and as the valve could not be removed for a full inspection whilst the boiler was full of very hot water, we were obliged to discharge the boiler contents overside to allow removal of the valve from the boiler shell to establish the cause of the problem and an appropriate remedy. Disappointment was palpable, not to mention the volume of coal we had burned to get to that stage! On a brighter note improvements in the weather saw the re-emergence of paint brushes, so the vessel is starting to look smart even if we are not going anywhere at present.

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