Boiler (Not) Fittings (5)

Having fitted the steam feed manifold and regulator assembly to the boiler, the next job is to join them together using the 4-ring superheater.

I recall being hugely relieved when I was told in June 2011 that our superheater was new old stock and had never been used before. Brilliant, I thought; however, there is a down side to this in that it has also never been joined to a set of steam fittings before... Could this mean that it might not fit first time 'out of the box'?

Have a look at these:

Superheater not quite above the regulator assembly

Superheater not quite above the steam feed manifold

In fact, the superheater really does not align very well at all! I decided on Monday 4th March that it was time to put this aside and think about it for a while!

Not only do the fittings not line up but when they eventually are 'persuaded' into place, the boiler top plate will then not align with the boiler top itself!

In 1973, during my student apprenticeship in Newcastle, I spent 6 weeks in a fitting shop at C A Parsons & Co Ltd, the sadly long-gone Turbine-Generator manufacturer. I never thought I'd ever find that experience useful again - little did I know what I'd need in later life!