# Parsons Direct Drive Turbines



## meiklemak (Aug 23, 2010)

Hi All.
Some may remember that around a year ago I posted a request for any information and particularly Photos / Drawings of this fine marine engine in relation to the early Clyde steamers E.G. Duchess of Hamilton and others of that era.
I'm starting this thread in the hope that some new members will come forward with some information on the subject.

Many thanks in anticipation.


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## TurboTyne (Aug 30, 2012)

I have only recently learnt about this interesting web-site. So I looked back at your initial post on this topic and was very interested to see the photos that you posted of the Edward and Q.Mary turbines at Irvine since I too am interested in the early turbines.

I have a number of old books and also several scans of other old books and "Engineering" journal articles about early days of steam turbines. These include some good photos of various Parsons turbines and some diagrams of the installations in the ships. Many of the images are about the famous early large turbine liners and warships. But also there are images related to the smaller vessels in which you seem to be interested. From a quick look though a couple of the books I have found images about the engines of the King Edward, Queen, Londonderry (and the Antrim, which was the same as the Londondery except it was fitted with reciprocating engines as a comparison), Victorian, a nice photo of the engine room of the TS St. George (built by John Brown 1906), Royal Yacht Alexandra.

Might this sort of material be of interest or are you looking for original photos and drawings? If they are, please let me know and we can then decide what you want and the best way for me to get it to you.
Regards, Mike


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## meiklemak (Aug 23, 2010)

Hi Mike. many thanks for your response and welcome to the forum.
Sounds like you may have just what i'm looking for and it would be great if you could let me know more about the drawings / articles relating to the smaller vessels in particular. Seems there's a shortage of that type of material out there.
Perhaps I could suggest that you post the images up on the "engine" gallery, that way may be the easiest method of me gaining accses to them.
I apologise for the delay in responding as I am serving engineer and have just returned from a period on board.
Many thanks
Meikle


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## 5036 (Jan 23, 2006)

The low and high pressure steam turbines of the T S King Edward 1 are on display at the Glasgow Museum of Transport so you can actually go and touch one.

Also of interest:

http://www.clydesteamers.co.uk/King Edward.html


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## TurboTyne (Aug 30, 2012)

Hi Meikle, O.K., I'll look more carefully through the stuff I have and get back to you with a more accurate list. I'll post that list on this thread. But, although I'd be very happy to put the images etc onto the gallery as you suggest, I am worried about breaking copyright rules by making them generally publically available. I see that other people on SN have had similar concerns so I wonder if it would be best for me to send the files direct to your e.mail address. From other forum messages I gather you could send your e.mail address to me as a personal message. 

It may take a week or so for me to gather the info because I am going to be away for a few days (but not on a ship).

Regards, Mike


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## Joe Freeman (Jan 3, 2007)

Hi Mike I came across this website for American Libraries. 
www/archive.org/details/marinesteamturb02sothgoog you can download this book for free its Southern's Marine Steam Turbines 1906 Very interesting about the development of steam turbines.
Joe.


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## TurboTyne (Aug 30, 2012)

Joe Freeman said:


> Hi Mike I came across this website for American Libraries.
> www/archive.org/details/marinesteamturb02sothgoog you can download this book for free its Southern's Marine Steam Turbines 1906 Very interesting about the development of steam turbines.
> Joe.


Thanks Joe, that's interesting as I have copies of this book. I have the first edition pub. 1906 and the 6th edition pub. 1919. The first ed has just 89 pages while the 6th ed had expanded to 789 pages, presumably reflecting the expansion in marine turbine use over that period.
I looked at the web site that you posted. I see that later editions of the book are also available but, unless I am missing something, the quality of the scanning of the photos is not very good. Also, these books contain huge numbers of very large and detailed fold-out drawings which do not seem to be shown in the on-line books. 

Now you have shown that these books are in the public domain I feel happy to upload images from them so I have just quickly made a couple of scans and placed in the Gallery (Engines & ships mechanics section) images of turbines for 2 early turbine vessels The Queen and The Victorian. Although I had to reduce the quality to make the files small enough to upload, you should be able to zoom in and see a lot of detail. I'll add more later if they will be of interest.
Regards
Mike


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## TurboTyne (Aug 30, 2012)

TurboTyne said:


> Although I had to reduce the quality to make the files small enough to upload, you should be able to zoom in and see a lot of detail. I'll add more later if they will be of interest.
> Regards
> Mike


Ah, forget what I said about zooming in for detail. I've just discovered what I guess everyone else already knows - that once loaded in the Gallery the image quality is dramatically further reduced from its upload max of 500K. That's an understandable action to conserve server capacity, but it is a pity because these images of 
engineering scenes and turbines are great to see in full resolution.

So, unless anyone can suggest a better alternative, if Meikle or anyone else is interested in decent images of these old turbines, I'll have to send them by direct e.mail, even if they are in the public domain.
Mike


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## meiklemak (Aug 23, 2010)

Been away for a couple of days and missed all the posts.
As you say Mike , copyright is a concern so if you would be so kind as to send anything interesting to my E-mail that would be great.
[email protected]
Many thanks.


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## TurboTyne (Aug 30, 2012)

O.K. Meikle. I shall be away for the next week, but then I'll sort out some images etc that you might find interesting.
Mike


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## TurboTyne (Aug 30, 2012)

Hello Meikle
I found this web-page on the site of the group trying to preserve the origuinal Queen Mary. 
http://www.paddlesteamers.info/Turbine Steamers/QueenMary.htm

It states that one of the 2 LP turbines is now in Science Museum store at Wroughton, the other is at Irvine and is going to be preserved. The hp turbine might still be on board the vessel itself - although it no longer powers the ship.

As I said in a message direct to you, my pictures of machinery in vessels with direct drive turbines are all for ships built earlier than the Queen Mary, Duchesss of Montrose and the Duchess of Hamilton. But it seems these later ships had the three screws and had the same turbine layout as the earlier vessels (central hp turbine/propellor and two outer lp turbines/propellors. I'll send some images of the earlier engine room layouts and a photo of an engineroom in case they are of any interest.

Mike


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