The Royal Geelong Show- Vintage Machinery Shed

A few pictures of the Vintage Machinery Shed, at The Royal Geelong Show.   Don’t get me going about the “Royal”. It is a ridiculous anachronism.  But since our head of state is still a Brit (the much admired Queen Elizabeth 2), I suppose we are stuck with the “Royal”.  The engines photographed below are just the ones in the immediate vicinity of the models cage.  I will add some more in a later post.

The boiler used to power the steam engines.

The boiler used to power the steam engines.  wood fired, running at about 35 psi.

The triple expansion marine engine. It powered a tug boat originally. It is steam powered, but only the high and intermediate pressure cylinders are currently powered. The condenser is not fitted to the engine because of the large volume of water it consumes, so the low pressure cylinder is not powered. The rotation of the engine is slightly irregular because only 2 of the cylinders are powered, but it is still a mightily impressive sight.

The triple expansion marine engine. It powered a tug boat originally. It is steam powered, but only the high and intermediate pressure cylinders are currently powered. The condenser is not fitted to the engine because of the large volume of water it consumes, so the low pressure cylinder is not powered. The rotation of the engine is slightly irregular because only 2 of the cylinders are powered, but it is still a mightily impressive sight.  When the engineers learned that I am making a triple expansion model engine, they generously spent considerable time and patience explaining the various components and mechanisms, and involved me with the start up process.  That process is quite complicated, because the engine cannot rotate until the 3 cylinders are heated, and introducing steam heats only the first (high pressure) cylinder.  Separate steam lines heat the other 2 cylinders, and they are closed just before rotation commences.

The crankshaft

The crankshaft, con rods, eccentrics

The low pressure cylinder Stephenson's link

The low pressure cylinder Stephenson’s link

The main steam valve (right), the reversing valve (left front), and the intermediate cylinder start up supply line lever.

The main steam valve (right), the Stephenson’s link reversing valve (left front), and the intermediate cylinder start up supply line lever.

another shot of the valve eccentrics

another shot of the valve eccentrics

This oscillating single cylinder, double acting steam engine with very nice architectural details dates from 1862. It is probably the oldest working engine at the show

This Wedlake and Dendy oscillating single cylinder, double acting steam engine with very nice architectural details dates from 1862. It is probably the oldest working engine at the show.  The governor is not original.

This one is dated 1865.

This Wedlake and Dendy  single cylinder horizontal is dated 1865.  Despite its age, it runs beautifully.