STEAM ENGINE SIZE / MODEL BOAT SIZE

STEAMPROPULSION · STEAM ENGINE SIZE / MODEL BOAT SIZE

"BIG IS BEAUTIFUL"
Does this statement applies also to model steam engines?
Or big = beautiful is sometimes synonym for uncomfortable, too bulky, too big to be fitted in a model?
I am experiencing a lot of stress fitting a Double 10 in a 3 feet "Muimota"tug.
I am experiencing a lot of stress fitting a TVR 1A in a "Lady Jane" launch.
I am experiencing a lot of stress fitting a Caton in an "Opal" launch.
Perhaps model boats are not well designed for model steam propulsion.
Perhaps we have an inclination to put bigger engines in a model than needed.
Perhaps there is a little choice in small engines, let alone the oscillators.
I have uploaded some pictures to compare some popular steam engine sizes:
From left to right and from BIG to TINY:
BIG ENGINES: American Big twin in restauration, Warrior, Stuart Launch compound
BIG ENGINES: Stuart Twin Launch, English Scratch built twin, German Scratch built twin, French "Andrè Lecomte"
MEDUM SIZED ENGINES: Regner "Goldi" w/pump, Stuart D10 w/pump, Big Saito, English Scratch built twin
MEDUM SIZED ENGINES. Vintage French "JVC", Medium Saito w/pump, Small Saito, French "Steam, Paris" DN15 twin
SMALL SIZED ENGINES: Cotswold twin, German Scratch built twin, again Medium Saito w/pump, again the "DN 15",
Caton and Aster twins
SINGLE CYL. ENGINES: My first English engine, German Scratch built, Reeves "Trojan", English Scratch built, English small production engine (I forgot the maker's name), "Ambassador Light Engineering"
OSCILLATORS: A V4, Stuart ST twin that I made, "SVS" Twin, Cheddar "Pintail" w/pump, Australian V twin, Blackgates V twin, English Scratch built V twin.
ENCLOSED TYPE: English Scratch built, Boucher, Stuart "Sun"
ODD ONES: Another English Scratch built, Westbury "Cygnet royal", American Scratch built Single cyl. Engine w/ water & oil pump.
FINAL SIZE SHOW: From big to tiny engines: a visual size comparison.
I think it is interesting seeing these steam engines (those which I had at hand) photographed together, even if inevitable a lot of their details are lost. But these pictures are taken just to compare various engine sizes, and to start a discussion about engine size and model size.

Click to see full size image

logoman

well my friend, this is a post that will keep me busy for hours! a stunning collection.

my first thought is that boiler size is a greater issue, and thus the trade off between space available and running times.

MooseMan

Good grief what a collection.....I can't stop drooling!

In my experience fitting an engine and a boiler in a boat is not the problem....it'sfinding room for all that comes with it, fuel tank, oil trap, burner......also, having an engine in a fairly confined space puts unique restraints on how you position it....all marine setups are by their nature "in line" which isn't necessarily the best use of space....then the engine needs to be carefully coupled to a propshaft, the boiler mounted so it doesn't overheat the hull, the burner mounted so it doesn't set fire to anything.....and we haven't even started talking about radio control just yet!

mogogear

First and Foremost- WELCOME to our group!! You ask valid questions and fitting engines into various hulls does seem like a chess game some days.

After several steps the engine / hull/ boiler strategy can seem to be belatedly flawed or scaled wrong. Choosing a power plant and then building a boat to match might be the ideal way.. but one I rarely follow!!

I speak from many such missteps...But my experience and equipment is now match for you ( or others in the forum) .

I hope you join us often and share and learn along with us.

A wonderful collection you have displayed- thank you!!

kusuchi

Wow.

Don't think I've ever seen such an astounding collection of marine steam engines.

It's going to take me days to pour over and digest all those wonderful pictures!

In the meantime, a very warm welcome from Richard and Andrew in the US Virgin Islands.

Certainly hope you want to stay around! Can't wait to see close up and detailed shots of your incredible collection.

....and you had a question?

Think it will take us some time to assimilate all that beautiful hardware before we can recover enough to reply.

STEAMPROPULSION

The other side of the problem"STEAM ENGINE SIZE/MODEL BOAT SIZE" is that brought up by Steam Fanatic, i.e.: "ENGINE SIZE/BOILER SIZE".As a matter of fact the "over boilered" MODEL steam plant is current practice, due yo lack of a water feed pump: The correct size relationship could be that illustrated on picture that I put on one of my Ebay boilers ads (Item number: 110411625621), and taken from the quoted catalogue of full size boilers. A feed pump is a must. This reminds me of a 30 years ago discussion with John Hemmens who was complaining about customers wanting bigger boilers in his Caton plants, despise the presence of a feed pump in his Caton plant. The presence of an unnecessarily big boiler in a steam plant is one of the causes of the resulting lack of space in steam models.
And this brings us back to the original topic.

duncandumpertruck

Very nice selection of engines! Also welcome to the forum. I've admired the engines that you've had for sale on eBay many a time

logoman