Beam Steam Engine, why??

[Rudy from Norway]

I'm facinated byt the beauty of a beam steam engine.. All those parts moving slowly in perfect harmony. I think I will make one someday.
But... why did someone make this type of engine in the first place? There are 100 moving parts that seems to have no other purpose than to move? A slide valve engine would do the job much simpler?
I don't know the history or origin of this contraption.
Anyone that could enlighten me?

 

[Charles Lamont]

I'm facinated byt the beauty of a beam steam engine.. All those parts moving slowly in perfect harmony. I think I will make one someday.
But... why did someone make this type of engine in the first place? There are 100 moving parts that seems to have no other purpose than to move? A slide valve engine would do the job much simpler?
I don't know the history or origin of this contraption.
Anyone that could enlighten me?

It does not take much effort to think of trying, say, here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_steam_engine

 

[Rudy from Norway]

That it started as a flywheel-less pump is actualy pretty obvious when I look at it. However, that is survived into more modern engines led me to believe it had some hardcore followers, and maybe some advatages that is not so obvious.

 

[Philipintexas]

There are very few "revolutionary" ideas, most slowly evolve from one design and are improved upon over time. I think the beam was a design that had been around for other purposes and was adapted. Think of an old hand water pump and add a cylinder to do the wok of one's hand.

 

[Blogwitch]

Papplewick pumping station is a good start to see modern (Victorian) engines, they show most things in slow motion (normal running speed) so you can see just how elegant they really are.

This first video shows the complete plant and how it runs.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x44cEw2tMY0[/ame]

This one concentrates more on the two engines themselves.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6eWRr-yZoA[/ame]

There are two main differences between a model and the full sized ones.

In models, they don't show the beautifully decorated interiors of the pumping stations with their fantastic cast iron decorations, stained glass windows and ceramic tiled floors and walls.

The second is that when modellers run their engines they think it good to run at very high speeds whereas in real life they run at just over 10 RPM, I personally prefer to see models run at scale speeds. A hint to get your models running slowly is to strangle the exhaust.

Hope you enjoyed the videos.

John

 

[vederstein]

A few years ago I had a vacation in England. I visited the London museum of water and steam. This place was London's water works from about 1820 to 1944.

I took a few videos. These engines are strictly pumping engines. They have no flywheel. They are known as Cornish pumping engines. The running pressure was 40psi, so the only thing they could do is make the engines larger and larger. The largest had a 90" diameter piston.

This engine is the 1838 Muldsay engine.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIkMGu6d5DQ[/ame]