  No.1. Hull. January 2nd. 1 killed, 1 injured. A small Boiler to heat a bath. It exploded, causing great damage, because the connecting pipes were frozen. All such boilers should have a proper safety valve. No.2. Durham. (Fig. 1.) January 2nd. 3 killed, 3 injured. plain cylinder boiler Fig. 1. Plain Cylinder, 33ft. long, 6ft. diameter, 33 lbs. pressure. Only set two days, but was old and deteriorated, and had worked before at another place. It had been turned ¼ round, and old fitting-holes stopped. First rent was supposed to be in a seam at front end, over the fire. Main portion of shell was driven back, and front end forward, and torn in its flight. The cause of explosion was, that the seam in front was overheated and injured, and also incautious working without a steam gauge. No.3. Sheffield. (Fig. 2.) January 2nd. 1 killed, 4 injured. one tube externally fired Fig. 2. One Tube externally fired, 30ft. long, 6ft. 6in. diameter, with dished ends. Tube 2ft. 9in. diameter, slightly oval. Pressure 60 lbs. Tube collapsed sideways from end to end, because it was not strengthened by hoops or other means, which were the more needed, because it was slightly oval, and the longitudinal seams were nearly in one line. No.4. Preston. January 3rd. 1 killed. Boiler for heating apparatus. Fire was lighted without noticing that as there was no safety valve, and that all escape of steam was prevented by the connecting pipes being frozen. No.5. Westerham. January 5th. 1 killed. Cast-iron Boiler for heating water for a horse shower bath, fixed behind an ordinary fireplace. Burst and caused great damage, owing to the pipes being frozen. There was no safety valve. No.6. Barr. January 9th. 1 killed, 3 injured. Kitchen Boiler, which burst because the supply pipes were stopped by frost, and there was no safety valve. No.7. London. January 11th. 1 killed. Cornish, 12ft. long, 4ft. 6in. diameter, tube 2ft. 4in. diameter, pressure 40 lbs. Small piece of plate was blown out near the bottom, and the boiler was displaced by the reaction of issuing No.8. Preston. January 16th. none injured. Kitchen Boiler. Burst and did great damage, because pipes were frozen preventing escape of steam. There was no safety valve. No.9. Brechin. January 23rd. 1 killed. Kitchen Boiler. Fire had been out some days, and the boiler burst soon after re-kindling it and did much damage, because the supply pipes were stopped by frost, and there was no safety valve for escape of steam. No.10. Sunderland. (Fig. 3.) January 26th. 3 injured. plain cylinder boiler Fig. 3. Plain Cylinder, 30ft. long, 6ft. 2in. diameter. Pressure 30 to 35 lbs. Rent into four pieces, which were flattened out and scattered on to other boilers, but are arranged in sketch so as to show their original position in the boiler. It had worked a very long time, and was overheated and injured along the fractured line. No.11. Exeter. (Fig. 4.) January 30th. 2 killed, 2 injured. elephant boiler Fig. 4. Elephant Boiler, 16ft. long, 5ft. diameter, tubes 1ft. 10in. diameter, 45 lbs. pressure. Flat end blew out, throwing boiler upwards by No.12. Glasgow. February 8th. 1 killed, 4 injured. Small Boiler to 6-horse power engine. Gave way at centre of furnace, and water forced out at both ends, and it was suspected that the water was low. No.13. Sheffield. (Fig. 5.) February 11th. 4 injured. Cornish boiler Fig. 5. Cornish, about 30ft. long. Tubes 3ft. unstayed. Tube collapsed sideways, and was rent from grate bars to end, without injuring front plates or shell. It was said to be short of water, but most likely the true cause was the weakness of the tube. No.14. Manchester. February 15th. none injured. Two flued, 28ft. long, 6ft. 9in. diameter, slightly oval; plates 3/8 inch; tube 2ft. 8in. diameter, pressure 45 lbs. Shell had once been externally fired. Rent along the seams which were in one No.15. Weymouth. (Fig. 6.) March 12th. 1 killed, 3 injured. agricultural boiler Fig. 6. Agricultural, 45 lbs. pressure. Fire-box blew off, and the outer shell separated from it. The cause of explosion was over-pressure from the safety valve being screwed down. No.16. Lynn. (Fig. 7.) March 19th. 8 killed, 4 injured. agricultural multitubular boiler Fig. 7. Agricultural, 45 lbs. pressure. Fire-box and tubes blew out. The cause of explosion was over-pressure, as the safety valve was tied down with string. No.17. Blackbraes. March 23rd. 3 killed, 1 injured. Colliery Boiler, 30 lbs. pressure. Rent in two while the engine was standing, but no details obtained. No.18. Barnsley. (Fig. 8.) March 29th. 2 killed, 2 injured. small plain cylinder boiler Fig. 8. Small plain Cylinder, with ends nearly flat, 4ft. 7in. long, 2ft. 4in. diameter, plates 3/16 inch. No emptying plug or feed-pipe, and only a very small hand-hole. Front end attached by slight angle iron, which gave way, leaving the shell unmoved. The cause of explosion was the internal corrosion of front end owing to very bad water being used. The plates were reduced to a knife edge in line of fracture. No.19. Cornwall. (Fig. 9.) April 10th. 1 killed, 1 injured. one tube Cornish boiler Fig. 9. Cornish, one tube 32ft. long, 6ft. diameter, tube 3ft. 10in. diameter, plates 3/8 inch, pressure 25 to 40 lbs. It was 20 years old, but just repaired and reset. Furnace tube failed and collapsed from one end to the other, except about 4 feet of front, owing to its weakness, being unstrengthened by hoops or cross tubes. No.20. Belfast. (Fig. 10.) April 20th. 1 killed, 2 injured. plain cylinder boiler Fig. 10. Plain Cylinder, 6ft. long, 2ft. 5in. diameter, plates ¼ inch, pressure No.21. Birmingham. (Fig. 11.) May 9th. 2 injured. plain cylinder boiler Fig. 11. Plain Cylinder, 3ft. 2in. long, 1ft. 8in. diameter, plates 5/16 inch, pressure 30 lbs. Workmanship and material very inferior. Piece of top ripped out from manhole and allowed manlid to blow out through manhole. The cause of the explosion was, the large manhole and over-pressure. The safety valve was too small, and very roughly made. No.22. Hartlepool. (Fig. 12.) May 10th. 1 killed, 1 injured. plain cylinder poorly made Fig. 12. Locomotive, 130 lbs. pressure. Barrel blown away and broken to pieces, leaving fire and smoke boxes. The cause of explosion was supposed to be the strain on the boiler caused by its being made a stay to the frame without allowance for expansion, and thereby weakening a horizontal seam. No.23. Newark. (Fig. 13.) May 18th. 4 injured. one tube Cornish Fig. 13. Cornish, one tube 20ft. 6in. long, 5ft. 4½in. diameter, tube 3ft. diameter, plates 3/8 inch, pressure 64 lbs. The ends came out and tube collapsed for its full length, every joint being broken. The cause of explosion was bad construction and workmanship, and tube too weak for pressure. No.24. Tamworth. (Fig. 14.) June 4th. 2 killed. two tube externally fired boiler Fig. 14. Two tube, externally fired, 30ft. long, 7ft. diameter, tubes 2ft. 4in. diameter, pressure 50 lbs. Two plates lately put in bottom gave way, and shell rent along bottom and opened out, dividing into No.25. Dudley. (Fig. 15.) July 10th. 1 killed, 2 injured. balloon boiler Fig. 15. Balloon, 22ft. diameter, pressure 5 lbs. Bottom blew out and was torn in pieces. Main portion of shell fell over on to another boiler. The cause of explosion was deep corrosion along the bottom where it rested on the brickwork. No.26. Batley. (Fig. 16.) July 11th. 3 killed, 3 injured. one tube Cornish boiler Fig. 16. One tube Cornish, 26ft. long, 8ft. 10½in. diameter, tube 5ft. diameter, for 8ft. 6in. of front end, tapering to 4ft. diameter at back, pressure 30 lbs. Rent along bottom, allowing central ring of plates to open out. The whole boiler was thrown some distance by the reaction of issuing contents. The cause of explosion was corrosion at mid-feather wall, the plates being little thicker than paper. No.27. Rotherham. (Fig. 17.) July 13th. none injured. two tube Cornish Fig. 17. Two tube Cornish, 31ft. long, 7ft. diameter, tube 2ft. 7in., tapering to 2ft., pressure 55 lbs. Left hand tube collapsed, and about the centre of collapse, plate was torn in two pieces from seam to seam. The cause of explosion was overheating, because the water was being let low before all the fire was out. No.28. Bilton. (Fig. 18.) July 24th. 1 injured. locomotive Fig. 18. Locomotive. Side-plate in the upper part of high top fire-box blew away. The cause of explosion was most likely the boiler being made the frame of the engine without allowance for expansion. No.29. Ecclesfield. August 5th. 1 killed, 2 injured. Full particulars were not obtained, but the steam and hot water were allowed to come in from a neighbouring boiler through the blow-off pipe while the men were cleaning. No.30. Belfast. (Fig. 19.) August 27th. 7 killed, 3 injured. one tube Cornish boiler Fig. 19. Cornish, 18ft. long, 4ft. 9in. diameter, tube 1ft. 6in. diameter, plates 3/8 inch, pressure 50 lbs. There were no stays. End plate blew out while being caulked at a jump joint in back angle iron. The cause of explosion was bad construction and want of stays, and also want of proper care in working. No.31. Plashetts. September 2nd. 2 injured. Locomotive, but no details obtained. No.32. Ashton. September 9th. none injured. Two flued, 40 lbs. pressure. The cast-iron mouth-piece of manhole fractured from insufficient strength, and allowed lid and upper flange to blow off. No.33. Blackburn. October 4th. 4 injured. Water Heater, made of large bottle-shaped pipes placed in the flue. The force of explosion caused the neighbouring boilers to be unseated. No details have been obtained as to the cause of the explosion. No.34. London. (Fig. 20.) October 7th. 1 killed. one tube Cornish Fig. 20. One tube Cornish, 11ft. long, 4ft. diameter, plates 3/8 inch, tube 2ft. 1½in. diameter, pressure 50 lbs. Gave way underneath. Top thrown upwards. Front part and tube thrown to the front. The cause of the explosion was extensive corrosion at the bottom where it touched the walls. No.35. Preston. October 31st. none injured. Cornish, 26ft. long, 5ft. 6in. diameter, tube 2ft. 11in. diameter, plates 3/8 inch. Pressure 30 lbs. Tube collapsed for want of proper strengthening hoops, blowing out back end, and throwing boiler forward. No.36. Durham. (Fig. 21.) November 3rd. 1 killed, 1 injured. plain cylinder boiler Fig. 21. Plain Cylinder, 19ft. long, 6ft. diameter, pressure 40 lbs. It was 36 years old, and iron deteriorated and also much patched. The cause of explosion was over-pressure for so old a boiler. No.37. Bradford. (Fig. 22.) November 6th. 2 killed, 3 injured. wagon-shaped agricultural Fig. 22. Agricultural, wagon-shaped, 6ft. 5in. long, 3ft. high, 2ft. 4in. wide, No.38. Sheffield. (Fig. 23.) November 7th. 1 injured. plain cylinder boiler Fig. 23. Plain Cylinder, 12ft. 3in. long, 3ft. 11in. diameter, pressure 20 lbs., flat front, and round back end. Main portion thrown back and front forward. Front torn all round the root of angle iron, and stay rivets drawn through flat end. The cause of explosion was weakness of construction of flat end, and bad safety valve, which could have been loaded to 60 lbs. No.39. Langley Mill. (Fig. 24.) November 11th. 3 killed, 10 injured. plain cylinder boiler Fig. 24. Plain Cylinder, 40ft. long, 5ft. diameter, plates 7/16 inch, pressure 45 to 50 lbs. Parted at third seam, and front thrown forward and main portion backwards. The cause of explosion was a seam-rip of old standing near patch at place of first rupture. No.40. Bradford. (Fig. 25.) November 14th. 4 killed, 3 injured. breeches tube boiler Fig. 25. Breeches tube 25ft. 6in. long, 7ft. 6in. diameter, plates 7/16 inch, pressure 30 lbs. Front end and fire-grate tubes and taper junction No.41. Chippenham. (Fig. 26.) November 21st. 3 killed, 2 injured. one tube Cornish boiler Fig. 26. One tube Cornish, 11ft. long, 5ft. diameter, pressure 44 lbs. Tube gave way at an old crack at back of strap-plate and partially collapsed. No.42. Dudley. (Fig. 27.) November 27th. 1 killed. plain cylinder boiler Fig. 27. Plain Cylinder, 25ft. long, 6ft. diameter, plates 7/16 inch, pressure 50 lbs. Had been a one tube Cornish, but tube had been taken out, leaving flat ends. Back end was blown out. Main shell thrown forwards. The cause of explosion was weakness of construction in not sufficiently strengthening the flat end to compensate for loss of tube. No.43. Shields. (Fig. 28.) December 7th. none injured. one tube Cornish Fig. 28. One tube Cornish, 28ft. long, 6ft. diameter, tube 4ft. diameter, plates 3/8 inch. Pressure 28 lbs. Tube collapsed for the whole length, but no particulars of the cause obtained. No.44. Belfast. December 14th. 2 killed. Some repair had been done to a Boiler, and a blank flange used to stop off the steam was being removed without shutting the stop-valves to the other boilers, and the joint blew out when the bolts were loosened. No.45. Manchester. (Fig. 29.) December 23rd. 6 killed, 4 injured. one tube Cornish Fig. 29. One tube Cornish, 18ft. long, 6ft. diameter, tube 3ft. 2in. diameter, plates 3/8 inch. Pressure 25 lbs. Rent along bottom, and two rings No.46. Barnsley. (Fig. 30.) December 28th. 1 killed. balloon boiler Fig. 30. Balloon, 11ft. 6in. diameter, and 11ft. 6in. high, plates 3/8 inch. Bottom domed up 3ft. 6in. over fire; ordinary pressure 8 lbs. Boiler had worked two days at 25 lbs. pressure, but safety valve loaded to 16 lbs. The cause of explosion was undue pressure for an old boiler of such weak shape. No.47. Leeds. (Fig. 31.) December 30th. 2 injured. two tube Cornish Fig. 31. Two tube Cornish, 22ft. long, 7ft. 2in. diameter, tubes 2ft. 7in. diameter, pressure 15 lbs. Rent along bottom, and shell blown away, leaving tubes and ends nearly uninjured. The cause of No.48. Shields. (Fig. 32.) December 31st. 2 killed, 1 injured. plain cylinder boiler Fig. 32. Plain Cylinder, 30ft. long, 4ft. 6in. diameter, plates 3/8 inch, pressure 29 lbs. Rent over fire near where a new plate had lately been put in. Front part of shell opened out and rent, and back end blew away in one piece. The cause of explosion was deterioration from 20 years' wear, and bad management. |
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