TCC DREDGER No.1

[Hornbeam]

No 1 was certainly unusual and was a feature of her Builders known as 'Boilers in the Bow'. Two oil fired three furnace Scotch Boilers were fitted, the well lagged steam pipes running Aft through the buoyancy spaces to the Engineroom. As far as I am aware she was first fitted with with four triple expansion engines in various forms and sizes. The two main triple expansion engines were fitted either side of the Aft trailing Suction Ladder, the triple expansion engine (enclosed crankcase) mono directional attached to the main Suction Pump lay athwartships next to the very large Condenser. The fourth engine which along with the shafting was fitted on top of the Suction Ladder, the shafting running down down the ladder to a rotating cutting head. Whilst I was Engineer on her the engine, shafting and cutting head had been removed previously and put into store I presume at the Graving Dock, I don't remember any particular problems with the length of Steam piping but like any steam job it was important that Steam drains were open before cracking open the main steam valves on the Boilers and warming through the engines again with drains open. She was built to a design which was for 24hr operations both here and abroad with the Crews Quarters For'ad and the Officers Aft alongside the Ladder. Other things I remember was she had stone jar water filters in the Messrooms, only one Fireman which was a concern and meant that one of the Crew would shout down to him to see if he was ok at regular intervals. If I remember correctly her 2nd Engineers name was Gerry.

[teesships]

50 YEARS AGO

River Tees - 13 May 1974:

Ron M

[Hornbeam]

Certainly memories Ron@1, to give Members some idea of the size of the M.E. (Same as 5&6) and the ancillaries look at the “Shieldhall” the only difference was that the Controls for the Main Engines were some distance apart due to the Suction Ladder running down the Centre Line which meant that one Engineer could not handle both Engines if necessary plus the extra enclosed Crankcase Suction Pump Engine and a very large (for the size of vessel) Condenser taking the exhaust from the three engines.
No1 always looked very sedate (with that slight Rake) whilst steaming along clearing the main channel.