Monarch - A New Paddle Steamer by Brian Waters (Designer and Builder) |
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Monarch - A New Paddle Steamer by Brian Waters (Designer and Builder) |
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The project was started in 1984 - George Orwell predicted strange happenings in that year - when the keel was laid and the hull constructed at Hoo near Rochester by Bob Deards of Stargate Marine.
The hull eventually arrived at the Steam Centre in Chatham Historic Dockyard, where it was fitted out with everything except machinery. In Summer 1994 my niece Karen Dandy performed a successful launching at the Dockyard. Since most of the design work was my responsibility, I was considerably relieved to see that she floated nicely on her marks.
Details of the steamer are as follows:
Hull of steel with wooden decks and superstructure
Length OA 42 feet
Beam (hull) 7 feet 9 inches
Beam over sponsons 13 feet 10 inches
Draught 1 feet 9 inches
Displacement 8 tons
She is powered by a compound diagonal paddle engine which started life at the Ness Tarworks at Caerphilly. Conversion to a marine engine and construction of auxiliary pumps was undertaken by Staniforth Engineering of Rochester.
Machinery Details:
Stroke 11 inches
Bore 8 inches and 4.5 inches
Hackworth reversing gear
Engine controls and instrumentation in the wheelhouse.
Steam is produced from a compact horizontal boiler at 180 psi constructed by Peter Phillips at Chatham Steam Ltd., Higham, and oil fired by a Nuway burner with automatic controls and safety systems.
The wheels are of the feathering type, 4 feet in diameter, with seven curved steel floats pivoted on PTFE bearings, which are lubricated by the river water itself. The wheel structure is a very simple seven spoke design using box section steel.
In the machinery space is a shaft driven 12 volt alternator driven by a series of belts and pulleys. Also driven by a layshaft geared to the engine are the reciprocating boiler feed pump and vacuum pump. The circulating pump which cools the condenser is driven from the generator pulley system. An electric pump also serves as a circulating pump when the engine is not turning.
There is a reciprocating steam Weir pump which acts as a standby for the engine driven feed pump. Exhaust steam is converted into feedwater using a Savery vertical tube condenser. Steering is by hydraulic ram which actuates the rudder.
'Monarch' carries twelve passengers with seating space on deck and also in a comfortable saloon aft.
When planning the layout of this steamer the idea was that she would resemble a full sized paddle steamer in her appearance and proportions, resulting in a small ship rather than a steam launch.
A prolonged shakedown cruise is planned on the River Medway and close to the workshops engaged in her construction so that teething troubles can be taken care of and her reliability established in service conditions.
In 2001 it is planned to move her to the River Stour and operate her as part of the River Bus Service from Sandwich, Kent. Thus it is hoped to provide steamship enthusiasts with an opportunity for some enjoyable cruising in this historic and beautiful region of Kent.
Pictures taken by Martin Longhurst at Strood on 14 May 2000