MYSTERY OBJECTS

[Stanley]

But no......

[Big Kev]

Newcomen atmospheric steam engine?

[Tizer]

Pumping shale gas or shale oil?

[PanBiker]

You left the name on your image Stanley!

[Stanley]

Oh Dear.... That'll make it easy! Come on then someone, educate us.

[PanBiker]

I think Kev already has.

[Stanley]

He hasn't said where it is....
(I did ask.....)

[Big Kev]

Black Country Museum, Dudley.

[Stanley]

Exactly right, thanks Kev....



Right, an easy one, what is it?

[Gloria]

Would it have appeared on the front of a traction engine?

[Stanley]

Yes Gloria, and in particular it was the emblem on the front of Fred Dibnah's steam roller.....
Next one?

[Tripps]

I think Kent County Council may have a prior claim to the symbol and the motto.

Invicta

[Stanley]

Yes David. Aveling Barford admitted to borrowing it off them.....

[Stanley]

Yes, it's the back end of the remaining Lancashire boiler at Ellenroad but what are the two structures called?

[Stanley]

There's a deathly hush. If I don't get a response today I shall knock it on the head......
(It's been mentioned on the site before.......)

[Steeplejerk]

Dampers

[Stanley]

Sorry Tom, no. Look at the cast iron construction.....

[Steeplejerk]

Smoke box

[Stanley]

It is a box and contained the products of combustion but that was not what it was called. What happened in the flue below that needed containing and taming occasionally?

[Steeplejerk]

I cheated explosion box

[Stanley]

You have it Tom! With alternate hand firing of the furnaces you could get a circumstance where one fire was burning clean and the other was making green smoke. When that happened there could be explosions in the back of the boiler flue. This is why there was always a mid feather wall in the flue to divide the two flows but the explosion could happen in the sole flue then. The explosion boxes relieved the pressure because the heavy cast iron lids could lift.
Next one?

[Stanley]

Why is this a better design for a water wheel?

[Tizer]

Compared with an overshot waterwheel the direction of rotation is more efficient. It rotates in the same direction as the water flow whereas the overshot wheel rotates against the flow.

[plaques]

it doesn't make a splashing noise that wakes you up in the middle of the night to go for pee.

[Stanley]

Sorry no, neither of you is right!