Saving a 1965 Generator for heritage preservation.

[westward10]

Good for chopping carrots those sirens. Back in the late 80s at Pinewood we had a full size WW2 siren and needed permission from who I can't remember to run it. At ground level it could only be run for a very short period of time.

 

[Mark W]

Good for chopping carrots those sirens. Back in the late 80s at Pinewood we had a full size WW2 siren and needed permission from who I can't remember to run it. At ground level it could only be run for a very short period of time.

After I realised how bad it was I had time to unplug it from the 3 phase supply, get the forklift, move it into the building, drop the roller shutter door and I still could not here myself think. I will never start it up again! The village WhatsApp group put a stop to that!!

 

[westward10]

I seem to remember it was run for seconds and it picked up very quickly and the powers that be decided it was not feasible to use along with the two Bofors guns rigged up to fire from gas and a rudimentary ignition system, too loud for the middle of London.

 

[Mark W]

W H Allen, they had a reputation for building large industrial engines and generators. A proof of their engineering standards, they kept the lights on till the very end on the titanic as they built the generators on board. The engine we saved was an early pioneer of large skid mounted units as typically the engine and genny were grouted directly to the concrete foundations after setting up on site. This engine is a complete skid mounted unit of 37 tons and is supported by anti vibration mounts from the floor which was quite new in 1965. This very engine is one of the very first in this range of v form engines, they soon went for enclosed rocker gear which would have made it look quite boring. It is air start, perfect for blackouts as an air receiver has lots of stored energy plus it had a small diesel compressor should it hit the fan. After 20 years of inactivity, we recommissioned it at our place, most disappointing start ever as it just started as if nothing had changed!! We have achieved a heritage award from w h Allen heritage society, just acknowledging what idiots we are!! The last generator units in service were on the Falkland Islands but I think they were v12 engines, if they have not been taken out of service yet they are due to be very , very soon.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

The convenience of a skid-mounted unit is not to be sneezed at. The amount of effort required to set up multiple concrete beds, often at different heights, with correctly positioned rag bolts etc, drop the lumps onto them, align the shafts, shim them, grout them etc, can be huge. It's one of the two reasons my old horizontal oil engine plant has never run in the 15 years I've owned it. This packaged plant makes a lot of sense if one doesn't have an army of installers being paid by someone else.

 

[Mark W]

The convenience of a skid-mounted unit is not to be sneezed at. The amount of effort required to set up multiple concrete beds, often at different heights, with correctly positioned rag bolts etc, drop the lumps onto them, align the shafts, shim them, grout them etc, can be huge. It's one of the two reasons my old horizontal oil engine plant has never run in the 15 years I've owned it. This packaged plant makes a lot of sense if one doesn't have an army of installers being paid by someone else.

Exactly Lucien, I moved the lump into place on my own with a few jacks, skates and two tirfor’s. The unit can be built in the confines of a nice clean factory, shoved on the back of a wagon and exported any where in the world . I own a 1952 4 cylinder two stroke w h Allen engine that is 16 tons and the separate 4.5 ton alternator on separate pedestal bearings. Guess what , this like your oil engine …….has not been erected or finished yet. I don’t think I have the patience or skill!!