# Trawler engine room



## mattarosa

Hope everyone is fine on this sunny Sunday (in the South of England, at least).

Does anyone have any pictures of trawler engine rooms? I would like to see what they looked like.

Thank you.

Hilary


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## Pat Thompson

Greetings,

An interesting topic which I cannot help with however I would like to jump on the back of.

In 1962 (ish) with my sights firmly set on going to sea, my Mother, as a rearguard action to stop me arranged for me to spend my summer holiday from South Shields Marine and Technical College in the trawler St. Hilda (she knew the owners (Grahams)) out of Hartlepool. This I did fishing the Dogger Bank, Bayman's Hole and Skinningrove. That was an experience never to be forgotten. They sailed with bread, butter, tea, shaky milk and sugar then lived off the catch. The cook knew 3,000,000 different ways to cook fish and they were all the same (not really). This experience neither cured my of the sea nor fish...but I digress..

St. Hilda was a 1950s sidewinder and as I recall her main engine was a "Baby Doxford", now I would like a photo of one of them if anybody has one 'cos as I understand it that was quite advanced for the time.

Aye

Pat Thompson

You can't get enough Photos of "O'Boats"


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## davetodd

Mattarosa, Goodmorning.
Try this website and select Engineroom from the options, www.rossrevenge.co.uk
The pictures will give you some idea of a cramped space in a relatively large Diesel engined trawler. The space in a steam engined trawler was even more cramped and warmer.Particularly the stokehold.
I will have a look in Grimsby library for some shots, but I don't think many were taken due to the lack of space to get the focal distance as well as lack of good daylight.
Best Regards
Dave Todd


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## billblow

Hilary
Wait until the weather is even more sunny and warmer and plan a visit to the National Fishing Heritage Centre at Grimsby and have a look around the Ross Tiger including a peep into the engine room.
Bill


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## Steve Farrow

Hilary,
The preserved Arctic Corsair is our only deep water side trawler left........there are some photos here.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/humber/content/image_galleries/artic_corsair_gallery.shtml?8 
I will email some more
Best regards
Steve


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## mattarosa

Pat Thompson said:


> The cook knew 3,000,000 different ways to cook fish and they were all the same (not really).
> 
> I have a lovely little book called Trawler Cookery (which, incidentally, bears a label saying it was presented to C W King on successful completion of the Trawler Cookery Course in 1970) which lists all kinds of exotic things, such as Creole Soup, Hampshire Hot Pot and Isle of Wight Pudding. As far as fish goes, it has recipes for baked fish, curried fish, croustade of fish, creamed fish, fried fish, fish pie, fish cakes, fish croquettes, fish in egg and breadcrumbs, grilled fish, poached fish, fish casserole, smoked fish, soused fish, steamed fish and fish surprise.
> 
> It doesn't sound as if fish was ever much of a surprise!
> 
> Here is one of the recipes, in case anyone is feeling domestic.
> 
> KROMESKIES OF FISH
> 
> 3 lbs of Cold cooked fish
> 50 bacon rashers
> 2 oz margarine
> 1/2 pint white sauce
> 3/4 oz. salt
> 1/2 oz. pepper
> Fish batter
> 
> Method
> 1. Mince the fish finely and add the margarine.
> 2. Make the white sauce and add the fish. Season.
> 3. Mix to a very stiff mixture.
> 4. Mould the mixture into cork shapes of approx 1 oz. each.
> 5. Remove the rind from the bacon.
> 6. Roll each shape in a rasher of bacon and dip into batter.
> 7. Fry in deep hot fat until pale brown.
> 8. Remove and drain.
> 
> Given the quantities, you might want to invite a few mates round!
> 
> Thanks for the reply, Pat.


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## mattarosa

Pat Thompson said:


> I recall her main engine was a "Baby Doxford", now I would like a photo of one of them if anybody has one 'cos as I understand it that was quite advanced for the time.
> 
> Hi again Pat
> I read a thread here yesterday about some sort of Doxford engines, not Baby, I think. The members discussing them were quite passionate about them, so I hope you get a response on the one you are interested in.
> 
> Hilary


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## mattarosa

davetodd said:


> Mattarosa, Goodmorning.
> Try this website and select Engineroom from the options, www.rossrevenge.co.uk
> The pictures will give you some idea of a cramped space in a relatively large Diesel engined trawler. The space in a steam engined trawler was even more cramped and warmer.Particularly the stokehold.
> I will have a look in Grimsby library for some shots, but I don't think many were taken due to the lack of space to get the focal distance as well as lack of good daylight.
> Best Regards
> Dave Todd



Thanks, Dave, those pics are really interesting. I watched that film recently about the American sub that captured an Enigma machine (the one that made it very clear in the very small print at the end that the Brits got the first) and there were quite a lot of scenes in the engine room. It didn't look that much different from this. Cramped space, lots of pipes and dials, hot, sweaty...

Hard to imagine shoveling coal (or indeed, frying fish) with the trawler rolling and pitching.


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## mattarosa

billblow said:


> Hilary
> Wait until the weather is even more sunny and warmer and plan a visit to the National Fishing Heritage Centre at Grimsby and have a look around the Ross Tiger including a peep into the engine room.
> Bill


I must do that, Bill. My mum came from Grimsby but it is unknown territory to me. We used to come and visit relatives, and go to the beach at Cleethorpes, when I was a kid, but that is longer ago than I am prepared to admit on here.
Hilary


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## mattarosa

Steve Farrow said:


> Hilary,
> The preserved Arctic Corsair is our only deep water side trawler left........there are some photos here.
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/humber/content/image_galleries/artic_corsair_gallery.shtml?8
> I will email some more
> Best regards
> Steve



Thanks, Steve. I received the photos safely. 

I went on board the Lydia Eva (steam drifter) at Lowestoft a few years ago, but since I was unprepared for this (didn't know she was there) and mostly concerned with breaking my neck due to my unsuitable footwear, I can't even remember if it had an engine.

Right - off to make some fish cakes from the trawler recipe book now. If I get any complaints tomorrow tea time, I'll blame you lot.

Hilary


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## Duncan112

For those on the West Coast there is the "Jacinta" at Fleetwood, the engine room does not form part of the normal visitor spaces but I asked nicely and got let in.

Duncan


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