MYSTERY OBJECTS

[Tizer]

In that case I'd go with cider making - the dismantled parts for pulping and crushing etc on show.

[Gloria]

Not cider making, but your thought process is along the right lines.

[Stanley]

All right, pressing grapes for wine or olives for oil.

[Gloria]

You’re right Stanley, seen in Romania.

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[Stanley]

Good. I shall try to come up with another one....

[Stanley]

The design of this gives it away. What exactly is it?

[Gloria]

Is it anything to do with a casting or mould making process?

[Stanley]

Sorry Gloria but no. Step back and look at it as a whole.....

[Gloria]

Sorry, no idea.

[plaques]

Never seen one but i looks like a triple cylinder steam engine. The high pressure cylinder is on the left. medium on the right and the low central. I suppose this configuration would give a shorter stoke but far more complex than a twin cylinder set up.

[Stanley]

Dead right Ken and some call them a diagonal engine. Question is why is it designed like that? Clue, look at the shaft it is driving.

[plaques]

Just a guess. The centre of gravity looks very low down for the bulk of the engine. The shaft looks very narrow, low torque. and high speed. Therefore ships engine possibly military.

[Whyperion]

Bit bigger and upright at Kempton

[Stanley]

You're almost there Ken. It's a marine engine and Centre of gravity is the key. Why is the shaft so high up?

[plaques]

The only time I've been in a boat is on Thompson park boating lake. My last guess is a motor torpedo boat. At speed the boat rises at the pointed end and sinks at the blunt end therefore the fan thing needs to be high up to maintain maximum propulsion efficiency.

[Stanley]

It's obvious that you aren't going to get it. The engine is for a ship with paddle wheels. The shaft runs across the ship and the centres of the paddle wheels are high up compared to a propeller shaft which would be down near the keel and run lengthwise.
Sorry that was so hard..... Next one?

[Tizer]

I'd wondered about paddle steamers but couldn't see why there were three shafts sticking out at the front.

[Stanley]

Those are the tail rods Peter. See if this model makes it any clearer....

[Stanley]

What is it?

[Big Kev]

I know, the ones I've seen had a different power source though.

[Tizer]

That photo helps Stanley, thanks.

[Steeplejerk]

Can't work out if it's hydrolic,steam or air

[Big Kev]

A big hammer.

[Stanley]

Kev has got it right. It's a steam hammer Tom but preserved in a park setting in Germany and that's what makes it difficult to identify the power source.

[Stanley]

What sort of tree is this and why did it get my attention?