# Port Sydney's Doxfords - can they be preserved?



## David Ambrose (Jun 9, 2008)

I am guessing that Princess Daphne (ex Port Sydney) has the last remaining sea-going Doxfords. Is it worth starting a campaign to save at least one of them when she is withdrawn? The Science Museum could possibly be interested if enough people lobby the director (Prof Chris Rapley). If Copenhagen can have a working B&W on public display, don't we deserve a Doxford?


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## Russken40 (Nov 16, 2008)

David Ambrose said:


> I am guessing that Princess Daphne (ex Port Sydney) has the last remaining sea-going Doxfords. Is it worth starting a campaign to save at least one of them when she is withdrawn? The Science Museum could possibly be interested if enough people lobby the director (Prof Chris Rapley). If Copenhagen can have a working B&W on public display, don't we deserve a Doxford?


Cracking idea but.........Worth noting that there is a preserved Doxford on display at the Beamish Museum in the North East of England. Although not a working example it is the last design of Doxford, the 58JS3. There is also a single cylinder prototype of the "P" Engine at the Anson Museum. I understand that the single cylinder will be restored to its working condition when sufficient funds are available. The engine was previously housed at South Shields Marine Tech and used for training future marine engineers. I also believe that there is a facility to contribute to the funding of this project. I would guess this could be done by googling Anson Museum. 
P.S. The cost of preserving twin sixes of the LBD type as from the Port Sydney would be astonomical, especially in a working condition! I guess it would be cheaper and probably more feasible to preserve the whole ship!! I also believe that there are still a number of other Doxfords still in service...........someone will probably confirm this. 
Regards
Russ K (Thumb)


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## Steve Hodges (Feb 12, 2007)

Seems to me the ship's owners have never read the posts in SN, and thus missed a brilliant marketing opportunity. How many of us would pay good money to manoeuvre a Doxford just one more time......? The ship wouldn't even have to cruise anywhere, it could just go round and round the harbour and dock and undock till we had all had our fill. And the "other halves" could swan about upstairs scoffing grub and drinking cocktails. Brilliant! Everybody wins!(*))


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## tell (Feb 12, 2005)

I'd like to see one on a plinth at Liverpools Pier head it would look a treat there!


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## raybnz (Sep 10, 2005)

I would not mind putting one in a paddock of my small farm. Could always hook a compressor up for starting purposes. Still dreams are free


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## cubpilot (Aug 18, 2008)

Since the numer of preserved merchant ships of the 20th c worldwide is minimal the ideal situation would be to have this ship saved from the scrapyard. I don't know all that much about this ship but this is about the last chance to keep a vessel as we soon will not have anything to show future generations the ships that once made the UK the lead nation in steel ship construction and maritime trade. the question is what organisation would be the right body to take the lead role. the first step though would be to approach owners not to rush to sell for scrap.


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## bill paterson (Mar 10, 2012)

Steve Hodges said:


> Seems to me the ship's owners have never read the posts in SN, and thus missed a brilliant marketing opportunity. How many of us would pay good money to manoeuvre a Doxford just one more time......? The ship wouldn't even have to cruise anywhere, it could just go round and round the harbour and dock and undock till we had all had our fill. And the "other halves" could swan about upstairs scoffing grub and drinking cocktails. Brilliant! Everybody wins!(*))


i would love to have one last shot of a doxford,about 15yrs on doxfords and never once ran out of air


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## bill paterson (Mar 10, 2012)

*I would love to have one last shot on the controls in at least 15 yrs never once miss*



Steve Hodges said:


> Seems to me the ship's owners have never read the posts in SN, and thus missed a brilliant marketing opportunity. How many of us would pay good money to manoeuvre a Doxford just one more time......? The ship wouldn't even have to cruise anywhere, it could just go round and round the harbour and dock and undock till we had all had our fill. And the "other halves" could swan about upstairs scoffing grub and drinking cocktails. Brilliant! Everybody wins!(*))


i would love to have one last shot of a doxford,about 15yrs on doxfords and never once ran out of air


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Never ran out of air! - the moderators will have to ration your posts here then!


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## eldersuk (Oct 24, 2005)

Never once ran out of air and never once lifted a relief valve.

Derek


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## A.D.FROST (Sep 1, 2008)

I've lost count telling the Bridge,You have two toots on the whistle or one start,Take your pick.The best Doxfords were the ones that were Stop!Nothing(else) can go wrong(Night)


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## "Lecky" (Jun 17, 2012)

My first trip RFA Reliant [ex MV Somersby].

Had been alongside over Christmas eventually went to sea[one unit having been stripped], on the plates 3rd set the throttle, frw/rev lever and then flicked the air start lever.
Well talk about sh---t, I headed for the way out.The third laughed and said the noise was normal, every organization has it's initiation once learned never forgotten!


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## Derek Roger (Feb 19, 2005)

I wonder what the old ladies engineers would want to do ?? Possibly scrap the the memories ?


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

"Lecky" said:


> My first trip RFA Reliant [ex MV Somersby].
> 
> Had been alongside over Christmas eventually went to sea[one unit having been stripped], on the plates 3rd set the throttle, frw/rev lever and then flicked the air start lever.
> Well talk about sh---t, I headed for the way out.The third laughed and said the noise was normal, every organization has it's initiation once learned never forgotten!


Regret never saw Doxford in action but you didn't get all the fun. On the midldles of the first (and last) big GMT I encountered when leaving Lisbon DD. Soot, sparks, snot from every nook and cranny-I trust my query when rapidly returning to ECR of "What the F*** was that" sounded more dignified than it felt. Shortly afterwards a liner cracked - this was not determined by nuanced irregularities in the monitored parameters but by a huge sheet of flame every rev. No hairline weeping water this - you could see in! Terrific.


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## Abbeywood. (Aug 7, 2009)

Varley said:


> Regret never saw Doxford in action but you didn't get all the fun. On the midldles of the first (and last) big GMT I encountered when leaving Lisbon DD. Soot, sparks, snot from every nook and cranny-I trust my query when rapidly returning to ECR of "What the F*** was that" sounded more dignified than it felt. Shortly afterwards a liner cracked - this was not determined by nuanced irregularities in the monitored parameters but by a huge sheet of flame every rev. No hairline weeping water this - you could see in! Terrific.


Manoeuvring into the Gladstone at Liverpool with a five legged unit one of the air-start valves stuck open. pistons came together and chopped the end of the valve stem which broke off when valve closed and the valve spindle and spring shot out like a bullet to bounce around the E.R. before disappearing into the bilges. quick shutdown.! 
No more air available so completed the docking with tugs.
Scavenge dive to find and recover the valve head. Fortunately the scavenge spaces had just been cleaned out


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## Flynn J (Aug 27, 2012)

I have surveyed the Princess Daphne when owned by Costa. It was marvelous to see two six legged LBD's running in tandem. The condition of the ship then was such to prevent potential buyers from committing. They went instead for the H&W Opposed 'Exhaust Assisted Piston' ex Port Line ship now called Princess Diana. Thank the gods it was not ohne of H&W's double acting! If you start a D then you could start anything. Stopping, well that is another matter especially if the nobody had brought the fuel valve adjusters (sectors) back to zero. Always amusing to watch none D enginerers trying to remove a fuel valve cage to change the fuel v/v.


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## TIM HUDSON (May 16, 2007)

Manoeuvring up Mississippi towards New Orleans at full sea speed. Border Reiver 6 cylinder LBD Doxford. Double ring "Full Astern" ! In Engineroom me and 1st trip Junior, as he legged it to open air receivers (closed to minimise air compressor running time) I stopped the engine and when air available blew into engine, astern, to stop forward rotation. I HEARD RELIEF VALVES LIFT THEN


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## ccurtis1 (Aug 16, 2007)

Then what Tim?
Was it then that you discovered that adrenaline was coloured brown?


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## David Ambrose (Jun 9, 2008)

I see that Port Daphne has been arrested, along with her sister ships, due to nonpayment of bills. So that will probably be the end of her, and the Doxfords.


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