WILTON-FIJENOORD DOXFORD ENGINE

[douro20]

The way the braces securing the oil tubes move it looks almost as if the engine is shaking out of control from some angles...

[herbgarratt]

@douro20

Those are the RUBBER hoses conveying cooling *water* to the upper pistons, and sometimes, the ****ing hoses woud come off their bottom (plate level) fittings, and if you were REAL quick, you could run up the ladders, grab the hose end flailing around like a demented viper, ignore the stream of HOT water spraying all over you, shove the rubber hose back on its fitting, and then tighten the Jubilee clips up a bit more to KEEP the bloody things where they belonged.

Fun, eh?

[herbgarratt]

The only time at sea I ever woke up was when #1 unit broke a side rod top end bolt, and the upper piston was in the process of starting to climb out of the bore, allowing the transverse beam to bash the bottle guide tie bars....97 times a minute.

In my jeans, I went down below, to find the 2nd (duty) engineer in the frig flat, charging the gas, UNAWARE that it was happening!

I tapped him on the shoulder, semi-dragged him out, and pointed up from the middle level (Port) to what was happening.

[douro20]

@herbgarratt

That must had been one very lengthy and VERY expensive job to repair it.

[herbgarratt]

@douro20

They were no pleasure to maintain, and repair, I assure you!

[peteacher52]

@herbgarratt That's exactly what an old ships' engineer, now in his 80's, told me, and once turbo chargers for big conventional diesels became reliable, the Doxfords and their kin passed into history without too much regret from the engineers.

[herbgarratt]

@peteacher52

He was right.

There was *almost* ALWAYS 'somehting to do' to a Doxford, once in port.

[malgray2]

Doesn't this take me back.

My first ship was fitted with a 5 cylinder Doxford.

Average speed 97 rpm.

We slept next to the engine room casing. After a couple of days you got used to it. Only a change of speed would wake you up.

[averheijden]

Yes, you are right, but there are no more new ones, only a very few old ones;

Regards

Alfons, also DEFA member

[russellkeb]

Nice video Alfons,always great to see the Doxford, old or new, in motion

Russellkeb (DEFA)