Cornish boiler

Can anyone advise me where I can get detail drawings for a Cornish or Lancashire boiler ? I would like to build one with a 4" - 6" barrel but can scale one down from a larger size.

Paul.

Hi Paul

Whilst not exactly detailed there are both described and drawn in KN Harris's book 'Model Boilers and Boilermaking'. Not sure if that is currently in print but you should be able to pick up a copy.. Unfortunately I can't scan a document of the pages but some one else may be able to help in that direction if you can't find a copy

Regards - Ramon

Paul, K.N.Harris's book shows a Cornish boiler with a barrel of 3.5 inches dia. I also have a drawing and photo of a full sized Lancashire boiler of 30 ft X 8 ft.

I could send you copies if this would help. If this is to be a working boiler then a boiler inspector would need sight of the drawings and calculations.

Brian

Thanks for your replies.

I already have the Model Boilers and Boilermaking book but it only shows a simplified version of the boiler. I would like the boiler to be a true representation of the original.

Paul.

I have an idea that some Cornish boilers used corrugated fire tube as a means of increasing heating area and possibly strength.

Presumably the same logic could be applied to both the tubes in a Lancashire boiler.

Howard

Corrugated boiler flues were the invention of Samual Fox, the progenitor of the Fox acting family. I first heard about this on Emilea Fox's "Who do you think you are" - not all telly is crap

Rod

I did a Google search for Samual Fox which found Samantha Fox, another steamy story .

A search for Samson Fox was more successful with lots of good articles to read. (his corrugated flue below)

Paul

Edited By Paul Lousick on 28/10/2020 21:49:23

This thread triggered a sad memory:

In an earlier life in the early 1980's I had to condemn a Lancashire boiler which was doing an excellent job. It burnt all the sawdust and waste wood in a sawmill/timber company, providing them with heat/power and saving on waste disposal.

I had to crawl underneath the boiler and do an ultrasonic examination of it's riveted seams along the centre shell section between the two brick pillars the boiler stood on. Every rivet I checked showed multiple cracks in the shell plate radiating away from the rivet hole - caustic cracking they called it, but you couldn't say that from just an ultrasonic examination.

It was too bad to make a repair so it was a condemn/get a new boiler job. Gave me absolutely no pleasure ar all to tell their manager that.

That would not be a problem in a model boiler with a nice one-piece copper tube shell of course!!

Chris

Paul,

Thanks for the correction.

Cheers,

Rod

It may assist your research if you obtain 2 old back copies of ME from 1986 Vol 157numbers 3788/90.

It carries a 2 part article of notes submitted by G.P Woodrow on the history of full size boilersmithing. Shows some details of the type(s) you mention.

Regards.

Thanks Richard.

Found copies for sale on ebay.

Paul

Photo of the corrugated wall in the firebox of a Cornish boiler. These boilers are in the town of Ballarat, Victoria in a museum site of an old gold mine. Unfortunately I live in Sydney, NSW and the borders have been closed because of Covid. (and it's only 1000km each way from my home)

Not sure where these boilers where built but many were made at Clyde Engineering in Sydney. Company is long gone and not sure if drawings have been saved.

Paul.

I seem to remember an article spread over a couple of issues about building a decent sized lancashire boiler of about 8" dia, the name Chadwick springs to mind but can't find it at the moment.

EDIT, 4440 & 4442

Edited By JasonB on 30/10/2020 07:48:53

Thanks Jason,

The standard of construction in the Lancashire is what I would like to achieve with a Cornish boiler.

I have been able to view and print the first article in ME 4442 but cannot open the copy of 4440. All other magazines open OK but 4440 just shows a blank page and Pocketmags does not go that far back.

Is there a problem in the archive or just me ? I have updating Adobe Flash viewer to the latest version and also tried to open the file on a second computer.

Paul.

Have you got the numbers the right way round the first part 4440 opens OK but 4442 is one of the ones that has a problem as it comes up every now an then when the Nemett builders can't open it, I've asked for several to be sorted but nothing happens

Just noticed your location Paul. So while you may be waiting for printed info to be delivered, there are some online options to peruse.

W & J Galloway made some modifications to the Cornish 'n' Lancs design patents in 1851.

By using the name in a search i.e Galloway boiler design modification uk , it will throw up images and links to more detail (check out Gracesguide link).

Hope this helps.

My mistake Jason, 4442 is the one that I cannot open.

Hi Richard. Not waiting for any printed info. It is the online issue of ME 4442 that I cannot read. Thanks for the other search links.

Paul.