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November 17, 2003

They that go down to the sea in ships ...

Massey Shaw.bmp

This photo of the ex-London Fire Boat Massey Shaw (named after Sir Eyre Massey Shaw, the LFB's second Professional Chief and a Victorian Society character) shows just how little free board she has and the narrow beam in terms of overall length. In a sea way she tends to bury her nose and the only thing keeping her upright is six tons of bronze centrifugal pumps and five tons of engines all mounted low in the hull. The white plume is steam from her coolant discharge which is through the exhaust system and forms a vital part of the silencer fitted to each engine. For the technically minded, her Glenifer engines are original, 8 cylinder in line marine engines with a long stroke and large bore. The engines idle at around 400 rpm and top speed is a magnificent 900 rpm. With 30 inch three blade screws she can work up to 15 knots at top revs. The engines have rotary air starters fitted and need 300 psi on the air cylinders to start. A 2 stroke Russell-Newbury engine provides power for the air compressor and a 110 volt generator and 12 v dynamo for the ships systems.

Control of the engines is from the engine room with telegraphs from the wheel house to signal engine movements to the engineer. In 1940 there was no wheelhouse, merely a screen and canvas dodger around the wheel and command position forward. The present wheelhouse was constructed in the 1960's with the original screen as its foundation and encloses the original steering and command position.

She is one of the larger "Little Ships" you read of having made the cross channel trip in 1940. The flag at her Jack Staff foreward is the flag of the ADLS - St George's Cross defaced by the badge of the Community of Dunkirk.

Posted by The Gray Monk at November 17, 2003 11:47 PM

Comments

PoppaBear and I rode on a Thames River cruise down to the Thames Barrier on a Motor Launch which had also taken part in the Dunkirk evacuation. The crew was delighted when we were able to talk about that extraordinary effort, as we both remembered having read about it when it happened. That Motor Launch was not much bigger than your fireboat.

Posted by: MommaBear at December 30, 2003 02:32 AM