York Compound Steam Engine

Quick video showcasing the original York Compound marine steam engine. The engine has bore dimensions of 3" High Pressure, 5-1/4" Low Pressure, and a 3-3/4" stroke with a piston (spool) valve on the high pressure and a d-slide valve on the low pressure, activated with "Stephenson" reversing valve gear. Designed and built by John York of St. Helena, California, it gave very good service over the years.

Coupled with a wood and oil-fired watertube boiler of 50sqft of heating surface, it powered his 30 foot launch "Ben My Chree" (which is Manx for "Woman of my heart").

The following is a quote from John York cited on https://www.steamlaunch.com/store-2/p... where new castings for the engine can be found:

"HULL: 30” LOA, beam 7’6” max, 6’6” WLw single chine all steel construction. Bare hull weight +/- 2,700 #. Total weight with steam plant about 8-9,000#...

PLANT: Wood or oil burning boiler, 50 s.f. Roberts type with forced draft fan.

Working pressure 175#, cruise pressure, +/- 150 PSI, 550deg F superheat. Propeller was 24” x 28”, ran max 430 RPM.

This gave me an HONEST 7 KNOT SPEED....

The bottom line—there were only a couple of boats in our large group that could out run me. I think this was the result of a number of factors: easy running hull, good free steaming boiler (forced draft and big grate) and superheating, and last but certainly not least of all, an engine capable of high running speed with superior steam distribution due to the “long legged” construction. As any engineering reader will discover, the shorter the connecting rod, the poorer will be the valve events and obviously the longer the rod, the better. This is because the connecting rod distorts the position of the piston in relative its angular position of the crankshaft. I assume that this also holds with the position of the valves in their travel. Bottom line here is, the “taller” the engine, the better. Anyone who would deny the engineering is a fool at best and dishonest at worst.

Best Wishes.

John W. York"

Here is the link for new York Compound castings:

https://www.steamlaunch.com/store-2/p...

To learn more about Steam Boats, visit:
http://www.thesteamboatingforum,net/forum/
http://www.steamboatassociation.org.uk/
http://www.northweststeamsociety.org/
http://www.steamboat.com.au/
http://www.spiretech.net/~artemis/NAS...

Filmed with my Google Pixel 4 phone with a Moment anamorphic lens.

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