DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's.....looks can be deceiving.. ......but that snap of Consul posted 19/2 @ 10:50 with the double extended bridge  looks TOP heavy .....Derek

[R.G.Y.]

Nice to hear from you again Derek. As you say looks can be deceiving, apparently it was a very rickety arrangemenT.
The gang plank, I am trying to figure out how it worked. Then I could operate it on the model.
Had a disaster yesterday, fixed the feathering rods to the wheel.  To short!! I had put the float central and measured to the center of the wheel, wrong.  The small discrepancy of 3/16" doubled to 3/8"! What I should have done is put one float out and the opposite float in and measured between the two.  So I have to make new sets, and buy tube. Geoff

[mjt60a]

Hi PD's.....looks can be deceiving .....but that snap of Consul with the double extended bridge looks TOP heavy .....Derek

I thought so too, saw that picture (or one very much like it) in one or two of the books I have, strangely, Princess Elizabeth or Embassy don't seem to look that way even when they have the white canvass sheeting on the front of their promenade decks, I wondered is Consul/Duke of Devonshire narrower in beam?

[R.G.Y.]

Yes quite narrow @ 20ft + 175ft also the paddle boxes are only 6ft each.  The funnel is also very thin and tall. A lot of later steamers had the main deck plated in this would alter the appearance of the superstructure .
 Geoff

[R.G.Y.]

Yesterdays disaster is today's good fortune. Having no more ali tube and being to mean to pay for more, I had a look at my stock. Thin brass rod and brass tube to fit. The new design is a lot neater and is adjustable.  When  the wheels are fitted I will be able to warm the solder and move the ends in or out. The king rod may present some difficulty? P1 the materials cut. P2 The soldering gig. P3 the new rods, compare with previous. P4 In position note the good angle of the floats. P5 Not much tolerance between rod and float.

[R.G.Y.]

Here's another trial mock up. Eddy note I have altered the steam cock, so my fingers should be OK. New items, the brass eccentric for the pump, the clamps holding down the bearing blocks. And of course the wheels are complete. They are just super glued to the shaft as are the bearing centers. All this can be dismantled, the shaft lifts straight up for maintenance, even if I have to play the blow torch on the glue. The reason for the mock up I need to see how the pump can be designed to fit. The feathering pivots will be adjusted to give the maximum throw to the floats, then bolted to the under side of the sponson. Inside the hull has been fiber glassed in the engine room, and just resin for the rest. Geoff.

[mjt60a]

....no stanchions can be see on the inside of the bulwarks. Only reinforcement at the shrouds.....

The following picture (colour one) is the best I could find of that area. The second picture shows the stern but is taken from Princess Elizabeth and shows, in the same area, braced rods of similar thickness to stanchions welded (presumably) to the top of the bulwarks and bolted to the deck (possibly inside the waterway, possibly to the wood) and looking closely at the first pic I'd say Consul has something similar, I'm sure I can see the rods between the plate joins!
Model's coming along nicely I see, it'll be good to see how that boiler performs 

[mjt60a]

By the way, in the first pic, I think the seats are folded up in a similar way to ones in theatre/cinemas but in sections three seats wide...
edit* on closer inspection, I think that's the same picture (rear cover of 'Glory Days'? )  I found that looking at these pictures with a large magnifying glass reveals quite a lot more detail than I'm able to see by eye!

[mjt60a]

....no wash ports or gaps can be seen....

In that picture in the book, there appears to be a freeing port (?...plate covering a cut away in the bulwark, possibly hinged or just set slightly away somehow to allow water out) just above the start of the sponson in the white area... but I didn't get that bit in the photo 
edit* tried to get it using 'macro' on the camera...

[R.G.Y.]

You have been bizzy Mick. Thanks very much cant have to much information. I have steamed the boiler With a blow torch. I,m still not happy with the burner though, not spent time on that lately. Geoff

[miniengine]

R.G.Y., where can I get some info on the engine in this boat?  Earlier you said there were pictures of it in your gallery.   I don't know how to get to your gallery.  How long is the boat?  Thanks, ray

[R.G.Y.]

Ray, click on gallery scroll down, then members gallery, scroll down you will see R.G.Y. click. Both my engines are there. The large Westbury designed diagonal paddle  slide valve engine .75inch bore 1.5inch stroke, double acting twin. Had this running on air, but the timing has slipped. As I built it narrower than the plan I have to separate it to reset timing one day. The engine in the Duke is my own design my first. Also double acting twin, but an oscillator .5 +1 inch. This has also run on air at 20psi. Just in case you can't find it here is the installation, showing the central gear,the displacement oil-er, the eccentric for the pump, which is the next design and build project.Geoff

[miniengine]

Thank you R.G.Y.  I think the double oscillator is interesting.  I will go to the gallery.  Have a great day.  Ray

[R.G.Y.]

The time to make the paddle wheels 30 hours, 15 hours each, including making four sets of feathering rods and painting. Very pleased with that.
Next to the funnel are two large engine room vents, high up so must be light. here is my solution. Well just the start. Geoff

[PeeWee]

ingenious, why is it i can never think of these solutions when i need them.