Steam Tug Portwey

Steam Tug Portwey. Built in 1927 by Harland and Wolff in Glasgow. Originally ordered by the Channel Coaling Company of Portland and Weymouth. Now moored at West India Quays, Canary Wharf, London.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Steam
• engine
• Tug
• River
• Thames
• Portwey
• Harland
• Wolff

[Shipwright1918]

I suppose the two wheels in the pilothouse are independently linked to the steering engines (the little one for the auxiliary, the larger one on the main )?

If I had a million dollars, I'd probably buy a steam tug (or maybe a traction engine), they're awesome vessels.

[Madblokey]

@Shipwright1918

The larger wheel is manual steering and takes two men to operate. The smaller wheel operates a small steam engine to operate the steering, this can be turned with one finger :)

[OperaBass1]

Engine behaves as though it doen't have a load on it. Has the propellor been removed?

[Madblokey]

Engine was just ticking over. The props are still fited. The propeller has a 6.5 foot pitch, i.e every rotation of the prop moves the boat forward 6.5 feet in the water, If you run the engines any faster whilst moored, it stands a real risk of ripping the quay side away!

[OperaBass1]

Thank you. I was wondering about The irreglar appearance of each revolution was what raised my question. It was as though there was little connected inertia. I have little experience with reciprocating steam engines except for making a bearing or a piston ring now and then. Geared turbines were what I was raised on.

[Madblokey]

Check out my other Portwey video, to see the engines running at full speed. Canary Wharf to Ramsgate.

[modelleg]

Wonderful! Terrific job. What a terrific old steam tug. A treasure, really.

Thank you for posting this great vid.

[porpoisefathom]

@Madblokey this is what is beautiful about steam- they arent fast--but there are no engines on earth save for maybe the old fairbanks morse- that produce the kind of torque generated by a steam engine!

with gas prices--people r going to rethink steam as a viable alternative to deisel and gas ...

[chibichan1701]

Is there a bearing loose somewhere in the works causing that knocking sound?

[keplermission]

watch?v=8OQJ4UrAVJw

see all screen links and pull down menu links before your visit, it'll help you out.

[bob84676]

That looks like the Furie! Was it from Maasilis?

[richardkelltoolmaker]

utterly wonderful .. thankyou !!

[cidcampeador1952]

MUY  BUENO !!!!!!!!!

[johnoxley1927]

Hi - great little engines. The irregular rotation is caused by the rather heavy cranks set at 90 degrees for easy starting. The pistons pull the crank up against gravity - it hen falls over TDC where gravity plus steam accelerates the crank down. Crank webs are heavy due so as to handle the force fit assembly stresses. There is no flywheel apart from the considerable size of the props.

The glands should leak a bit - rather have them leaking like this than running hot.