Come on lads !

[oldsalt]

What a strange organ is the brain. For some reason I started remembering the boiler water level glass drill to check it was operating correctly.
1. Close steam cock & open drain cock.If the water cock is clear a rush of water will be heard.Then close the water cock.
2.Open the steam cock.(the drain cock is already open). A rush of steam should be heard if the steam cock is clear.
3Close the drain cock.
4 Open the water cock.
If the water rises to the top of the glass, water level is too high, if water does not show, boiler water level is too low.
Changing a broken gauge glass is another story.

[ivorthediver]

Right Keith I have noted that down thanks

[oldsalt]

Came across this photo of Stokers feeding the furnace, but wearing white caps ! For the benefit of the photographer I expect.

img152.jpg

[Pelican]

Re the attached - Flogger is JME Peter Lambourne 1958-59 vintage at Ganges who moved over to the M.N. and became a hossifer in tankers. He turns up at Renunions in his M.N. No.1s for evening tea.

[ivorthediver]

Thanks for finding this and sharing David , brought a smile to my face .....

[oldsalt]

A great piece , we in the branch never got the kudos we deserved, out of sight, out of mind!

[oldsalt]

Re my Aug 24th 2018 about the Asian flu, not so much fuss those days. For the record the 57 Asian flu killed 33,000 in the UK. Hope our present matelots are being usefully employed.

[ivorthediver]

A sobering reminder Keith , lets hope this one is lower in the UK , without them easing restrictions to soon .

[oldsalt]

During the Napoleonic wars captured French warships kept their French names. Was there any other reason than superstition for this practice?

[oldsalt]

One of the funniest episodes I witnessed was when I was in the Vigilant (Type 15) . I was in the flat above the boiler room when I heard shouts from below. I hurried down into the boiler room & there was the CERA sitting on top of the condenser sea water inlet strainer with sea water spurting from all around his backside. The CERA had for some reason decided to inspect the main SW inlet strainer. When he had released the last holding down bolts on the strainer cover water gushed in. I realised there was a sea water valve in the engine room he had failed to close, I shut the valve , dashed back to the boiler room, by then the water leakage was down to a trickle. We were lucky, by the time the leakage was stopped the water in the bilges was just below the boiler room deck plates. It was serious at the time, but the image of the CERA doing a "boy & dyke routine" with his backside instead of thumb was hilarious.