Dear Ken , Most are made from brass or copper , the advantages are that these materials are reasonably easily worked and to most peoples' eyes are good looking . The disadvantages are that the finished kettle needs polishing and as any water which stands in a cuprous container for a while will becom...

I thought that was what it was.

Edward

Dear Wesley Thanks for posting these links about Vapor and her restoration/rebuild. It is nice to know that something of such beauty and historic value is being treated properly . There is however one aspect that I find hard to credit and that is the stated top speed. To get over 20 knots from a 30'...

Dear Scott

Kew Bridge Pumping Station is worth a visit . Officially it is a museum of the water supply for London but there are quite a few stationary engines ranging from Cornish engines to a 30' high triple .
Some of these engines are steamed on most week ends.

Regards Edward.

Dear Frank , First of all a belated welcome to the forum . Secondly I absolutely agree with Farmerden , by far the best way of learning is to see a steamboat in the flesh . There are quite a few SBA members with boats within reasonably easy striking distance of Swindon and my strong recommendation w...

Dear csnco , The best system is to have a wet ashpan . In other words an ashpan with an inch or so of water in it . With this the hottest it can get under it is 100 C . In practice it will be much less . Additional advantages are that it reduces the amount of fine ash that escapes to form a good gri...

Hello to All of You , Many thanks for your kind remarks . It has taken , on and off , 20 years and the project still isn't quite finished (are they ever complete ?) but the light at the end of the tunnel can definitely be discerned and seen not to be an express train coming towards me . The excess o...

Hello Brent , I hope your project goes well , it looks as if you have made a promising start . Although there might not be a South African steamboat association there are four members of the Steamboat Association of Great Britain (SBA) who live in South Africa . I know distances in SA are not quite ...

Dear Pete , I think some Burrell traction engines also had the double sliding doors you describe . I believe they're called butterfly doors . The only steamboat I know of which has them is PENDLEBURY , not sure who owns her now but I think Roger Mallinson made them . They work very well . I'll almos...

Seconded .

Edward