Sunday 2 September 2012

Diesel power OLD style!

If you read my profile (top right of this page) you may notice this...." Posting mostly about Railways and models, but you may be lucky to find a post about something else!"

Well, this is definitely "something else!

Whilst we were at the MRC Midland Railex a couple of weeks ago I took the opportunity to go walk about and look at some of the sites own offerings. One such exhibit was the "Static engine house" although some of the machines and engines could hardly be described as "static" as the pictures below will testify.

(Click pictures for larger images)





This Fielding engine was really going some! and appeared to be driving some sort of pump or compressor I'm not sure which but looking at it I think it was a water pump.











This impressive twin cylinder engine was driving an alternator  The control panel in the background showing that power was actually being generated.


















This mercury arc rectifier was connected to the generating set above.
You can just see the belt drive an pulley of the alternator on the bottom right of this picture.
It was a shame that the rectifier was not delivering any power into a load as the arc would be much more spectacular.

I remember as an apprentice electrician being awe inspired by these things actually working under load.

looking like something out of Frankenstein's Laboratory  it's the sort of thing that sticks in your memory.










Again I thank you for reading my waffle and hope to post again soon.

Cheers!
Frank

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