[BITList] WORLD'S BIGGEST ENGINE

[HUGH]

Malcolm,

It's certainly long. When I was still with Kincaid in the early 90s, bores of over a metre were common, and development to offset the price of oil during and after the oil crisis had led to long stroke engines with low RPM and increased height. Read the text closely - it's a HOOT. I love the bit about the stairways that let the mechanics get about.  Not to mention the piston cooling channels by means of which the lubricating oil is injected through valves. And the "piston sleeves" masquerading as cylinders. I refrain from comment on how it's got into the ship.

My pal Joe Blair and I, fellow apprentices, used to build the crankshafts for opposed piston engines - damn near as heavy as the one featured. Wee Jimmy Cram the slinger - at least once with a bollock sticking out of a hole in his trousers - would ascend the scaffolding and place the loop of a very heavy sling around the top coupling flange, padded with old sacks (the other end on the crane hook). Then, on the floor, he would get the whole thing suspended after Joe and I removed the strongbacks, etc, at the bottom coupling. A couple of ropes and a spare fitter or two kept it from gyrating and causing damage.  Then it was laid horizontal - not an easy task - until it was time to take it to the big lathe in J Shop for finish turning of journals, pins and couplings.

Hugh.
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