Steamboat Register

Miss Fire

Status: Steaming

Owner: R. Coles

Area: UK

Hull

Open Launch. Construction: Triple-skin, 2 x 4mm marine ply plus 1 x 1.5mm lay.
Built 1988 by Mr Popplestone
LOA: 17' 9", LWL: 16' 0", Beam: 4' 0",
West epoxy system cross layered marine ply to give a strong lightweight structure, counter stern. Wheel steering from alternative starboard, port and forward positions.

Boiler

Built 1988 by Mr Popplestone
Fuel: paraffin, Pressure: 100 psi,
Copper tubes. Copper construction, copper/bronze superheater,
non-condensing, engine driven pump, hand pump, whistle,

Engine

Single. 2 1/4" X 2"
Built 1988 by Messrs Partis, Rushton and Lancaster
Design: 5A by: Stuart Turner
Slide valve. SLRG valve gear.
Power: 1.5 @800 rpm HP
Grease cups for main crankshaft bearings, drip oiling to cross head. Crankshaft driven boiler feed pump.

Propeller

Bronze, 3 blades, Left Hand, 12" X 11"
Shaft: 5/8" 316 Stainless Steel

History

The boat was originally built by Maurice Popplestone, then sold to S.Culling (1988). Originally named ACTAEON it was acquired by Nicholas Lancaster as a bare hull in 1997 for intended use on the Lancaster Canal and renamed Miss Fire. Under his ownership it was fitted out with the current boiler and engine, to operate on gas (propane) although to the best of my knowledge, it was only test steamed for boiler certificate and to check general operation. It was acquired by Richard Coles in 2006, but although floated on the water to check the integrity of the hull and stern gland, was not steamed. Between 2006 and 2018 the boat was laid up but received various phases of refitting, in particular, to modify the gas container and burner to bring them up to the required standard, plus some internal work to improve storage. Subsequently the propshaft arrangements were upgraded to include a more effective stuffing box, a more efficient greaser, an additional intermediate bearing added to support the prop shaft, plus turning the engine through 180 degrees to make more secure mounting to propshaft via a flexible coupling. Other engine components moved for ease of operation. Boiler re-tested and steamed in 2019. Following experience gained in 2019, the decision was made to convert to a Lune Valley burner fuelled by paraffin, conversion taking place in 2020 with a notable improvement in boiler performance (see Funnel187)

Last Modified: 2021.03.20.

2019 taken at the Gloucester/ Sharpness canal on a test voyage.

Photos

(Owner) 2002 showing the original canopy and a previous boiler.	Stuart turner 5a shown in its intended location. The boiler is not installed in this photograph but sits forward of the engine on the base shown.	View inside the boiler outer casing showing the water tube boiler (all copper). When fully installed this is surrounded by a inner casing, ceramic blanket insulation and the front closed off with a stainless steel cover. The various fittings are then added.
Owner 2019, following refit. The canopy (see Image 2) has been dispensed with and the funnel given a slight rake. The oblong box to the front was purpose built to house two propane cylinders which fuel the burner, although it is no longer required now converted to paraffin burning.	Stuart Culling 1997 showing the general lines of the hull.	General arrangements of the oil fired burner with the hand pumped fuel tank and burner control system sitting outside the boiler casing.
View into the firebox showing the burner with its vapourising coils sitting beneath the boiler tubes. This burner has two feeds, one to a pilot jet and the second to the main jet controlled by the steam pressure of the boiler.	The control mechanism for the burner showing the fuel feed at top right and the system of pivots and plungers which operate to shut off the main jet.