in this issuemelbournesteam.com.au/pictures/backissues/ssseptember15.pdf · with chamberlain, and...

Issue 536 Print Post Approved NO PP331387-00004 September 2015

In This Issue

Thermo Lab Followed Up Club Cranes Tassie Steam

Peter Jackmans balance plough being unloaded at the National Steam Centre

Sept 2015 STEAM SUPREME 2

Ever since the club acquired it’s Fowler Z7 Ploughing engine in 1971 there has been dreams of being able to give Steam Ploughing demonstrations . These heightened with our move to Scoresby and the acquisition of the back paddock but still to no avail due to lack of a suitable plough . The dream only intensified with the arrival about 12 years ago of a second ploughing engine Peter Jackman’s Susie Jane. Incredibly this is the sister engine to the clubs as evidenced by the consecutive serial Nos .

Ploughing engines were always supplied in handed pairs as they are designed to work by pulling a double ended balance plough back and forth between them . Now with a matching pair of engines back together after 70 years Peters search for a balance plough intensified but they are very few and far between in Australia and seldom come up for sale . Peter kept his eye on one in Queensland for many years hoping that one day the balance would swing in his favour and it would come up for sale but it disappointingly appeared to have been spirited away .

Then out of the blue Sam Newman heard a whisper of a plough in outback northern NSW . Recognizing the opportunity and with no time to loose he quickly negotiated it’s securement leaving the details to be worked out later . To Peter Jackman’s great credit he was in a position to respond immediately and close the deal . He was then off with Mick Black in his vintage semi to return 6 days later with the dream of a life time. So now at MSTEC there is a complete set of working steam ploughing tackle something very rare in Australia . This is guaranteed to be a major attraction during our rallies and gives the opportunity for special themed run days during the year . Where else in the world can the public see steam ploughing demonstrations in a capital city ? This surely leaves no doubt we are the National Steam Centre ! Warwick Bryce

John Meade and Laurie Hall gallop over to inspect what Mick Black and Peter Jackman have just turned up with

Above Ploughing at Goldsmith the balance plough is pulled back and forth between 2 engines ( arrows ) fitted with winding drums . The plough being double ended with the shears at each end facing the opposite direction and being balanced so it see -saws can plough going in both directions

The one that got away . Peter lusting over a balance plough somewhere in Queensland


By Rohan Lamb

The two cranes owned by the club were built at a time when Australia had a strong local crane manufacturing industry. This two part series looks at the history of the club’s 3 ton crane built by BHB in Western Australia, and the larger 10 ton Conquip crane made in New South Wales.

In this first part we look at the BHB Mobilift TC 23 crane. This crane was built by BHB Engineers Pty. Ltd., in Bayswater, Western Australia. The crane was built in 1971 (serial no.4349) and rated to 3 tons with a slewing jib, and mounted on a reverse-drive Chamberlain industrial tractor. BHB developed a strong relationship with Chamberlain, and used their industrial tractors as the basis of many of their yard cranes. In this case, the tractor used was a Chamberlain Mk 3 industrial model (serial no. 2412) built in 1971, and fitted with a Perkins 4-236 diesel engine rated at 67 horsepower.1

The BHB name was derived from the initials of Bowra Holcroft Buckridge, original partners in an engineering business which Cyril Bowra controlled prior to the advent of Bowra Holdings. Bowra Holdings Limited began as a small engineering company founded by Cyril Bowra in 1949, but grew rapidly. By the late 1950s, it had become the major supplier of dozer and land clearing attachments for crawler tractors sold in Western Australia. At this time it also built small numbers of truck-mounted cranes, generally backenders, although a handful of slewing cranes were also made.

In its early times, BHB also built Loadstar front end loaders for tractors, and developed an association with tractor manufacturer Chamberlain, for whom it supplied a batch of over 30 front end loaders modified with a crane jib and lifting hook, and mated with a South Australian Proline rear auger for work with the Post Master General (PMG).

Dinko Miocevich was a mechanical plant engineer with the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) and had designed a grader for the DCA which was built by BHB. Dinko eventually left the DCA to join BHB, and became a major design influence, not only on the

tractor cranes by which BHB became well known, but in all areas of mobile plant. As the business grew, the company listed on the stock exchange in 1962, and took over several other businesses including a foundry. In the early 1960s, Chamberlain pressed BHB to develop a tractor crane, and supplied a spare tractor for this purpose. This project was not given a high priority until Chamberlain delivered an ultimatum to either build the crane or return the tractor. Unable to find all

the parts of the tractor, BHB elected to build a crane. Designed by Dinko Miocevich, this machine was a great advance on previous cranes available on the market, offering Orbitrol steering for greater control, and an underslung turntable for greater visibility. The crane was based on a Chamberlain Mk I 6G Industrial tractor with Perkins L4 diesel, and had a manual extension jib and a capacity of five tons. The first few machines were actually built by Chamberlain to BHB’s design, until BHB was able to undertake their manufacture in-house. This was not the first tractor crane built by BHB, as a small slewing crane, based on an International tractor and with front wheel steer, was built earlier for Westrail as a strictly one-off. Some cranes were also mounted on reverse drive tractors around this time. An association soon began with Lin McPharlin, previously manager of machinery distributor Wesfarmers Tutt Bryant, who saw the potential of the crane and set up a distributor network, known initially as W.A. Tractor Company, and later as Linmac. The first machine, designated the Mobilift TC 35, was succeeded by a larger six ton crane with two stage powered booms. The designation came from the rating of 5t capacity at 7ft radius, and this was followed for the early cranes (TC 36 was 6t at 6ft, TC 48 was 8t at 6ft).

In 1968, a new crane was developed. This was TC 23, a three ton slewing crane based on a reverse-drive Chamberlain. This machine was developed for the Australian Army, and the initial order for 25 machines really set the company on its feet. In 1969, the range expanded to include an eight ton (TC 48), and later, a ten ton machine (TC 610); the latter using a Chamberlain Contractor 354 tractor for extra power, and two pairs of oscillating wheels to support the boom.

BHB went on to develop rough terrain forklifts based on Chamberlain tractors in the late 1960s and, in 1970, a truck mounted

Club Cranes Part 1

BHB Chamberlain 3 ton Crane


Annual Production of BHB TC23 Cranes

crane. The closure of the Chamberlain factory in 1985 saw the end of using their industrial tractor as a base for cranes. BHB continued until 1993 when it went into receivership. The new owner CIC relaunched the business with a tractor crane based on a John Deere prime mover. It continued with various engineering work until 1996 when the assets were purchased by RCR Engineering.2

The TC 23 model was built between 1968 and 1978 with 107 cranes built. These production figures were recorded from the manufacturer’s records by Greg Keane. Unfortunately the first owner of the club’s crane was not

noted from these records, and with the closure of the company, the present whereabouts of the records is unknown (assuming they’ve not been destroyed). The production date was noted, so we know the crane was built in 1971. Quite a few of these cranes have survived and continue in service in yards around Australia, and appear regularly for sale or auction on-line. The club’s crane appears to have had a very sheltered life and is

in very good condition. The first owner is not officially known, but is thought to have been BHP at Port Pirie.3 The crane does have a plate from the Department of Labour & Industry, South Australia, Lifts & Cranes Act 1960-1972, no. 841 which supports its use in South Australia. The crane was later used at the BHP Research facility on Wellington Road, Clayton, and when this facility closed some of the staff transferred to Monash University (MU), and they took the crane with them. The crane was then used infrequently by the MU Engineering Department at Clayton until it was donated to MSTEC in July 2013.4

Acknowledgements Greg Keane for providing his research notes on the history of BHB Paul Handel of the Australian Army museum for providing photos

Footnotes 1 Tractor serial number stamped on chassis frame. Build date from Chamberlain. Australian Innovator, Bruce Lindsay, p.170 2 Abridged history from notes provided by Greg Keane 3 Bill Sides, pers. comm. 4 Hugh Venables, Monash University, pers. comm.

Load test of a TC23 crane before delivery to the Australia Army, 1969 (Australian Army Museum)

Australian Army TC23 crane (Australian Army Museum)

Year Quantity Built 1968 3 1969 44 1970 9 1971 8 1972 10 1973 10 1974 2 1975 11 1976 3 1977 1 1978 6

This TC23 crane is still in use in a yard in Goulburn, 2013 (R. Lamb)


Left Robin Gibb’s Yorkshire steam “ bus “ was brought over from near Wangaratta by Mick Black on his Classic B Model Mack back on the road after a long rebuild . Also joining the crew was John and Leslie Colwell from the UK. The Yorky along with about 8 other engines took part in the 90 km road run to the Sheffield Steam Fest held the following weekend.

Below Behind the wood heap is Robey Road Loco in the charge of Leigh Delaney a MSTEC member Owned by the Tasmanian Transport Museum it is probably the only single cylinder Robey still in steam . Paired up with a wooden living van it took place on the 90 km road run to the Sheffield rally the next week .

Far Right Marshall compound 22687 built in 1913 for a NZ order but sat unsold til 1920 when repossesed and dispatched to Tasmania but did little work until going to a sawmill in 1929 .Entered preservation in 1971 and having never been derelict the Marshall is unique in being essentially unalterd since it left the works . Some might think it is ripe for a showmans conversion !!!!

The Steam Yard . McLaren Steam tractor with it’s unique feed water heater on the top of the smoke box . Buffalo Pitts with its distinctive flywheel clutch water tank perched on the smoke box and on the right a Foden cvompound of 1912

STEAM At the

Here is a few pics from the recent National Historic Machinery Rally in Carrick Tasmania that caught the Editors attention


A rare sight in Australia this 1882 Steam Gallopers by Savage of Kings Lynn . Purchased in 1990 as a pile of rotten and rusty rubbish from the UK it was restored to this beautiful condition over the next 5 years.

Below Two very nicely turned out steam boats were present . Thoughtfully an elevated veiwing platform had been provided to allow inspection of the powerplants .

Predictably the varnished one was named SLHuon and featured a replica compound steam engine of cylinders 3” & 5 1/4 “ and 3 3/4 “ stroke of the type used by the US Navy of 1875 . The boiler with 107 tubes was from Strath Steam , Goowla S.A. The hull was a Launceston built replica of a 1875 River Launch

Right The replica engine and modern boiler of SL Huon

Right While traction engines predominated adding to the variety was a steam roller Surprisingly I did not see any portable engines. With the Pearns Steam World just down the road I expected more . Actually it was open during the rally hours and if I had realized I would have paid a visit .

Left The steam engine that powers it is the original with polished brass name plate “ UNCLE MARK “

Right displayed more as a labour of love than a commercial operation . At only $5 per ride the Merry-Go- Round deserved more patronage than it got. The original fare was 2 pence 1 farthing in 1885 .


Swinburne Thermodynamics Sundial Engine Follow-up

A couple of members where very interested in Michael Stapmanns article on the Swinburne Thermo lab and were particularly pleased to see the old Sundial engine is still there with the head off and ready for the next batch of students if they ever come .

Our Rex Gotch of course was the Technician in charge of the Thermo Lab from the middle 50’s and fondly remembers the engines acquisition . At first it was displayed sitting on a table but then the Thermodynamics instructor wanted to be able to have the engine demonstrated running so commissioned Rex to have the steel stand made up that it still sits on today . Rex was then asked how the engine could be utilized further for teaching the students the fundamentals of internal combustion and one prac he devised was to have them determine the compression ratio . To do this the head was removed and set up

carefully in a horizontal position so it could be filled with kerosene from a graduated glass measuring cylinder therefore giving the combustion chamber volume. Clearance and swept volumes were then determined from measurements taken with the piston at the top and bottom of the stroke . Compression ratio was then calculated by dividing the total volume above the piston with it at the bottom of the stroke by the corresponding volume with it at the top.

Roy Odgers also related fond memories of his encounter with the engine in the mid 1960’s . For this excise the engine was presented partly dismantled with the head and magneto off . The challenge was for the students to put it back together and get it running . Roy could see the rest of his prac group was stumped as being city bred were not engine savvy while he grew up in the Wodonga district and knew about these things so a deal was done . He would assemble the engine and get it started if they would handle the paper work side of things and write up the report for him . Roy soon had it back together and running to the surprise of the instructor . When asked what spark advance setting he used Roy replied “ not having the timing instructions I simply turned the engines until the piston was about 1/4 “ before top dead centre and bolted on the

magneto with the points just opening “ this greatly impressed the instructor . Hearing this story Rex chuckled and said with careful inspection Roy would have found the timing marks on the gears .

For the next batch of students here are the instructions for timing the Sundial as these days it is unlikely too many will have any idea at all . Warwick Bryce

Above Illustration from booklet SUNDIAL 2 H.P. ENGINES Instructions for their Operation and Care .

Above The Swinburne Sundial as it is today . Michael Stapmanns photo . These engines where made in the Sunshine Harvester Works of H.V.Mckay Massey Harris Pty Ltd in the western Melbourne suburb of Sunshine that got its name from the H.V.McKay works.

Timing Position


A Holder Tractor The Stapmanns new toy is a Holder A12 horticultural tractor of 1959 powered by a 12 PS ( Horse Strength ) single cylinder 2 stroke air cooled Diesel engine . Very advanced small tractors for their day they steer by pivoting in the middle this combined with short wheelbase gives great manoeuvrability for working in close confines . In fact it was noticed from the wheel tracks that the front and back wheels follow the same path no matter how sharp the turn . Another innovation is the ultimate in 4 wheel drive with no fighting of wheels against each other thanks to the above mentioned articulated steering and equal sized wheels . Adding to the versatility of the machine is the full 3 point linkage unusual for a small tractor of it’s day . This tractor is often credited for setting the pace for most of the modern very large articulated

tractors . Holders are an old German firm which still produce quality small tractors today and are still proudly supportive of their early models . This and being a German company I am sure appealed to the Stapmanns . I am looking forward to more background from Michael . Left Michael enjoying his toy

Trewhella Jack Last Sunday as Stapmanns were buzzing around on their little tractor a gentleman , who turned out to be Len Thompson a Puffing Billy driver approached them and offered the club a donation of a Jack which he had in the back of his car .

Above The Stapmanns soon had the jack on the carryall of their tractor and delivered to the club . Inspection showed it to be a Trewella Bros Jack made in Trentham between Daylesford and Woodend . A gear driven model as opposed to the better known ratchet ones it appears to be a late model and in good order . A nice donation indeed. Co incidentally Warwick recently looked up the old Trewhella works when visiting Trentham ( not to be confused with Trawalla near Goldsmith ). The brothers Ben and Bill started a sawmill in the nearby forest in 1893 and soon came up with a jack to move around heavy logs which soon lead to establishing an engineering works and foundry which they relocated to nearby Trentham .

Michael Stapmanns goes for a spin around the club on his newly acquired Holder tractor


They manufactured jacks and tree pullers that were sold all over the world

Above A 1907 illustration of the Foundry from the heritage board outside the works . Noticeable is a portable steam engine undergoing repairs while a traction engine has a rear wheel off . To the left is a cylindrical vessel on a wagon and on the right what appears to be an egg ended vertical boiler Derelict now the works was the largest employer in the district until the Foundry was sold in 1963 with the last owners finally closing the factory in 1997 .

What caught my eye was their Jack Tester on display behind the front fence . Used to test the capacity of the

machines they produced it was obviously cobbled up from a horizontal steam engine . Originally powered by steam but later converted to hydraulic fluid according to the plaque. Jacks were the main products of the business and were of many types and sizes including lever and geared screw and hydraulic as well as monkey winches ( tree pullers ) and railway jacks. High standards of quality and reliability were maintained which lead to orders from all over the world with considerable business with the UK during WW 1

Above A current view of one corner of the saw toothed roofed works This is less than 1/4 of the rambling , now derelict factory floor

area . On the right the office building . The site was recently advertized for sale .

Right The Jack Tester . While there is no description of how it worked it obviously uses the bed and cylinder from an ancient horizontal mill engine . Tie rods at the back and a large hook at the bottom suggest it was used in tension . Left The iconic Trewhella “Wallaby Jack “ double purchase model B . Obviously a play on words as Trentham is in the Wallaby forest . Also a point not lost on a local aspiring comedian who goes by the same name .

Hook

Tie Rods


First New Track The first panel has been constructed and will be used as a master with subsequent panels assembled on top of it . Below Hayden Sharpe gives his approval to the first section of track assembled by Dave Rochester for the East Boundary

Rail extension Signs Project As you know MSTEC has received a generous grant fron Knoz council for the errection of visitor imformation signs around the Steam Centre . The need to catch the attention of the passing public was identified as requirement Unfortunately the Club land is zoned as a Public Park and Recreation area so by law Business Identification signs are restricted to 3 square metre to preserve the amenity of the area by being unobtrusive . This means we are limited to making the best of a sign the same size as our current one. In the process of exploring options temporary banners to promote forthcoming events are permissible. There might be an opportunity to maximise the effectiveness of one of these by attaching it to one of our larger exhibits, for example the ammonia compressor flywheel moved closer to the road . In the mean time work is proceeding on internal signage including directory signs . A birds eye map of the site seems most effective as it shows the relative positions of our display buildings and major exhibits around the grounds while, by showing front elevations makes them recognizable from ground level . Signs on buildings will include a large Number and Symbol making them immediately recognizable as a

display hall from across the grounds . Smaller writing will list the major items in the building Below Warwick’s proposed Bird’s Eye Directory site map

Birdseye view and major exhibit cartoon by Warwick being used by Signarama as the basis for the new Directory signs

ENTRANCE

in this issuemelbournesteam.com.au/pictures/backissues/ssseptember15.pdf · with chamberlain, and...

Documents