Blockade Runner "Colonel Lamb"

[DamienG]

 

[Spankbucket]

As with all your creations, she looks fantastic.

I reckon you are already thinking ahead to your next project!?

[Hankwilliams]

my next project? Yes, there is one possibility: The Rhone cargo steamers "Ocean" and "Mediterranee" which has had a lenght of 156 m. Perhaps a build in scale 1 : 50 or 1 : 48 would have 3,12 m lenght and only 13 cm beam. It would be possible, to make the hull in 3 sections for transport. The real boats has had propulsion of - obviously - fixed wheels and a big horizontal single cylinder engine. There is a museum in Tournon sur Rhone with a model of a similar steamer. This could be my next project...

Thomas

[Spankbucket]

That sounds truly challenging...especially making it in sections.

How will you handle that to ensure secure joints and watertightness?

[Hankwilliams]

It is not difficult to make this long, flat hull in sections. At first the whole hull in one piece should be build. Then two similar strong plywood frames connected with bolts and screws will glued into the hull like in the pictures, between the frames lays a thin plywood pile in the thickness of the saw-blade. As far the construction is fixed, it`s easy to disconnect the frames with saw and two sections are finished.

Thomas

[Spankbucket]

That is indeed a cunning plan, which would not have occurred to me!

Can I assume the diagrams come from your book?

A thought...presumably due to he 'compartmentalization' resulting from this method and, assuming the engine and paddles are in the centre section, it will make it very easy to achieve balance on the water?

I look forward to seeing you build one of the type using this method  with great interest!

[Hankwilliams]

Engine installation. The engine with the couplings for the paddle shaft was a little bit too wide - I had to alter the shaft bearings (bearing clearance of the brass tube) and the part of deckhouse in the field of the couplings. I hope, now it is in the right way, tomorrow I will made a first steam up with engine and paddlewheels.
Spanbucket: The illustrations of the hull in sections are not from my book, they are in german book about building of hulls (Schiffsmodell-Rümpfe by Helmut Drexler).

Thomas

[Hankwilliams]

First steam up today!
A few hours ago I did the first steam up with my outside Regner steam plant and silicone tube connection. Engine with direct coupling was running well. My old reversing valve doubtless is the better choice to reverse the engine than the Stephenson gear. Last work will come now: Building and installation of the boiler. I long time considered - one or two boiler? I will make one boiler, but in relative big dimensions: 350 mm lenght with 85 mm diameter, U - shape flame tube with one burner. Tomorrow ist starts!

Thomas

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hullo Thomas.......wow.....

350 x 85 'single firing'?  boiler is a real challenge in heating design  ..have you ever considered one single boiler, but gas firing from both ends?

I am also unclear, when you say ..." My old reversing valve .......than the Stephenson gear"..?? 

Derek

[Hankwilliams]

Hi Derek,

the Stephenson gear of the older 12/36 has a tendence to jam and it`s not absolut sufficient. Regner has solved this problem at newer engines with leading the gear throught PTFE bearings. At the beginning of my Live steam passion more than 30 years ago I build a reverse valve with brass piston similar like for the  piston valve engines (for the "Pilat" steamer). It was functionating, but the piston wasn`t really steamtight. Now I remembered for this old part and improved the piston with recess on my lathe and O-rings. Result: Until now, it`s steamtight and ready for use at the 12/36. See picture.
The boiler dimensions are a compromise between parts, which I have still in stock, sufficient water content and the required installation - burner and come out of the flame tube to the funnel must be on the same side of the boiler in front of the engine. When the flame tube with cross tubes has sufficient lenght, the steam production also with one burner will be good. In the "China" paddler with same engine works a boiler of 100 x 200 mm with U - flametube. The steam production is adequate.

[Hankwilliams]

Today I made the last pressure test with warm water for the boiler.  Yesterday two small leaks were dedected, but soldered with siver solder. Today pressure goes up to 6 bar - no leaking. On Saturday the flame tube was tested, it was ok from the first time on with same pressure. I expect, this rather large model boiler will have a sufficient steam production also with only one burner. Dimensions of brass made boiler: Lenght 350 mm, diameter 85 mm, diameter of copper flame tube is 28 mm, 14 cross tubes.

[Hankwilliams]

Again some advance. Boiler is installed, engine is running - but the gas container in the rear must be heated. In nearly every case some minor problems were obvious: Steam regulator was leaking, steam pressure goes down because gas container got cold. But this infancy troubles are normal. I hope to finish the build in one week.

Thomas

[Hankwilliams]

Engine trouble!
At my test runs it became obviously, that some parts of this old Regner 12/36 were worn and should be changed: The old brass pistons and control pistons. Today this parts are made from teflon and much more tight. Also both brass swing arms, which now are leading by teflon bearings. I `ve ordered this spare parts today and I suppose that power and presentation of engine will be better - also the reversing - with this new parts.

Thomas

[DamienG]

 

[Hankwilliams]

Tightening of the control pistons with two O - rings. I made this before with one Regner 12/36, it seems a good possibility to tighten old contol pistons. I`m still waiting for new teflon working pistons from Regner factory to finish the propulsion.

The build of C. L. is as good as finished except the steam propulsion. In this state it may be interesting to compare the near sister ships "Hope" and "Colonel Lamb". "Hope" I made 26 years ago, 1994 - 1995, she was my first large steamboat model.

Thomas