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December 31, 2003
Happy New Year to one and all
I couldn't resist posting this picture of one of the big South African steam tugs in the harbour that I grew up around. She had an interesting and varied career, most of it served under the name of "E S Steytler", although she was launched as "Theodor Woker" in 1939 and actually set out on her delivery voyage from Greenock on the Clyde on the 1st September 1939.
The 680 gt E S Steytler in East London harbour. She was fitted with twin quadruple expansion engines developing 13,000 shp per shaft. Steam was provided by four Admiralty pattern water tube boilers and she carried just over 60 tons of coal in her bunkers. Crew was eight deck hands, eight stokers and a Master, First Mate, Chief Engineer and Second.
She was diverted to the sinking Donaldson liner Athenia and brought survivors back to the Clyde where she was immediately taken over as a Rescue Tug by the Admiralty who renamed her HMS Stalwart. She was also present at the Dunkirk evacuation - probably the only South African registered ship to have that distinction. Her sister ship, also awaiting delivery, the "T H Watermeyer", was taken over as HMS Watermeyer. In 1941 the Steytler was released back to her original owners and, after some repairs which sorted out some interesting damage and removed a 12 pdr gun from above her towing gear, steamed out to South Africa to spend her life in East London and Durban. She was broken up for scrap in 1980.
What's this got to do with a new year wish? Not a lot really, I just like the picture and wanted to share it ......
Hope you all have a great 2004.
Posted by The Gray Monk at December 31, 2003 09:40 AM
Comments
Quad-expansion steam engines must have been MOST interesting to manage; did they also have the 'stop engine - counter-rotate' to get reverse?
Posted by: MommaBear at January 1, 2004 02:22 AM
It is basically a triple expansion with an extra low pressure cylinder as its fourth stage. No gear box, simply a counter rotate operation. You can go from full ahead to full astern in one simple movement of levers. They could get 13 knots at an engine speed of around 180 rpm on the shafts.
It was a closed circuit steam feed with exhaust steam to a condensor and the condensed vapour being pumped back to the boiler feed tank.
Posted by: The Gray Monk at January 2, 2004 02:35 PM
It is basically a triple expansion with an extra low pressure cylinder as its fourth stage. No gear box, simply a counter rotate operation. You can go from full ahead to full astern in one simple movement of levers. They could get 13 knots at an engine speed of around 180 rpm on the shafts.
It was a closed circuit steam feed with exhaust steam to a condensor and the condensed vapour being pumped back to the boiler feed tank.
Posted by: The Gray Monk at January 2, 2004 02:36 PM
MB had assumed it was a "3" with an extra cylinder for the 4th stage, but glad to know the basics are the same. That must have been some kind of 'head of steam' to have enough oomph left for an effective 4th stage.
Posted by: MommaBear at January 5, 2004 01:19 AM
I believe the top end was around 150 psi dropping to around 15 psi across the stages. Not being an engineer all I worry about is that the guy down the hole gives me what I ask for when I ring the bells! But, also being a curious sort who likes to have some idea of what happens at the other end, I always asked silly questions - and occassionally got silly answers!
Posted by: The Gray Monk at January 5, 2004 11:53 PM