  No.1. Newcastle. (Fig. 1.) January 13th. none injured. plain cylinder boiler Fig. 1. One of three. Plain Cylinder, 27ft. long, 5ft. diameter, 3/8 inch plates, 35 lbs. pressure. The boiler was much torn up, and all the fragments thrown to the front of their original position. The cause of the explosion was that the boiler was very old and much deteriorated, so that it was unable to bear the ordinary pressure. The longitudinal arrangement of the plates, and the entrance of the feed directly on the bottom, no doubt contributed to the weakness. No.2. Glasgow. January 27th. 1 killed, 5 injured. One of four. Kier or steam chamber, and not used for generating steam. It was 8ft. 6in. high, 6ft. 6in. diameter, 7/16 inch plates, 40 lbs. pressure. It was rent from top to bottom, owing to inferior iron and workmanship. No.3. Sheffield. (Fig. 2.) January 28th. 1 killed. one tube Cornish boiler Fig. 2. One of four. One tube Cornish, 26ft. 4in. long, 6ft. 6in. diameter. Tube 3ft. 9in. diameter, 3/8 inch plates, 15 lbs. pressure. The dotted line shows outside shell of boiler. The tube collapsed from end to end while the steam was being raised, owing to the weakness of so large a tube without strengthening rings. No.4. London. (Fig. 3.) January 29th. 1 killed. one tube Cornish Fig. 3. One tube Cornish, 18ft. 3in. long, 4ft. 10in. diameter, 3/8 inch plates. Tube 3ft. diameter, 5/16 inch plates. In sketch the external shell is shown in outline to allow the tube to be seen. The tube collapsed owing to shortness of water, and rent open at one seam, allowing the contents to issue violently, although the boiler itself was not disturbed. No.5. Bolton. (Fig. 4.) January 31st. 1 injured. interior view of locomotive Fig. 4. Locomotive, 90 lbs. Sketch shows interior view of fire-box with No.6. Stoke. (Fig. 5.) February 6th. none injured. One of three. One tube Cornish, with two external fire grates with a water tube over each fire. It was 30ft. 2in. long, 6ft. diameter. Tube 3ft. diameter, 3/8 inch plates, 40 lbs. pressure. External shell is shown in dotted lines to allow of the tubes being seen. The tube had formerly been placed rather higher in the boiler. The tube collapsed sideways, having become overheated from shortness of water. The boiler itself was but little disturbed. No.7. Kelso. (Fig. 6.) February 11th. none injured. one tube Cornish boiler Fig. 6. One tube Cornish, 9ft. 9in. long, 4ft. 6in. diameter. Tube 2ft. 3in. diameter, 5/16 inch plates, 30 lbs. pressure. The boiler rent open at the bottom, and was thrown a considerable distance by the reaction of the issuing contents. The plates along the bottom were reduced by corrosion to 1/16 inch where in contact with the brickwork, so that the boiler was unable to bear the usual working pressure. No.8. Durham. (Fig. 7.) February 12th. 2 killed, 1 injured. cylinder boiler with tube fire tubes Fig. 7. One of four. External shell is shown in dotted lines in sketch, to allow the tubes to be seen. It was 20ft. long, 7ft. diameter, 40 lbs. pressure. The two internal fire grates in the flues were 2ft. 8in. diameter, which joined at the back with a central return flue to a chimney passing out of the top of the boiler. The sides of flues were flattened to allow them to be packed closer together, and especially the central return flue, which was flattened on both sides, and thus rendered so weak that the left side collapsed and allowed the contents of the boiler to issue, blowing out the grate on the left side. No.9. Halifax. (Fig. 8.) March 3rd. none injured. plain cylinder boiler Fig. 8. Plain Cylinder, with flat ends, 18ft. 6in. long, 3ft. 11in. diameter, 3/8 inch plates, 50 lbs. pressure. The back end gave way at the root of the angle iron all round, and was thrown 60 yards to the rear. The boiler was forced forward, and tilted up by the reaction of the issuing contents, and forced through a wall. The cause of explosion was the want of sufficient stays to the flat end. No.10. Newcastle. (Fig. 9.) April 4th. 1 killed, 4 injured. plain cylinder boiler Fig. 9. One of four. Plain Cylinder, 28ft. long, 6ft. diameter, 3/8 inch plates, 30 lbs. pressure. The boiler was much torn and scattered, and much damage was done. The plates were improperly arranged longitudinally. The boiler gave way at a patch lately put on, and had become so deteriorated by nearly 30 years' wear, that it was unable to bear the usual pressure. No.11. Aberdeen. April 7th. 1 killed. Two tube Cornish, 6ft. diameter. Few particulars have been obtained. The upper part of front end was blown out and did considerable damage. Most likely this was for want of proper stays. No.12. April 15th. 1 injured. One of four. One tube Cornish, 15ft. long, 4ft. 7in. diameter. Tube 2ft. 8in. diameter, ¼ inch plates, 60 lbs. pressure. The tube collapsed and rent open near the bridge, owing to its weakness with such thin plates and no strengthening rings. No.13. Cornwall. May 1st. 1 killed. No details obtained. One tube Cornish. Tube collapsed, owing to its weakness without strengthening rings. No.14. Cornwall. May 9th. none injured. Few particulars obtained. One tube Cornish, 34ft. long. Tube 4ft. diameter, 3/8 inch plates, 40 lbs. pressure. Tube collapsed owing to its weakness without strengthening rings. No.15. Oldham. May 11th. 1 killed, 1 injured. A very small plain cylinder, 3ft. 5in. long, 1ft. 8in. diameter, ¼ inch plates, 45 lbs. pressure. It burst at a faulty place at the lower part of the back, on the left hand side, allowing the hot water to issue, but the boiler was not much disturbed. No.16. Bristol. May 11th. 1 killed. Marine. Single internal fire grate, with small return tube, 7ft. 9in. long, 5ft. 4in. diameter, 3/8 inch plates, tube 2ft. 7in. diameter, ¼ inch plates, 62 lbs. pressure. Tube collapsed and rent open owing to its weak, corroded, and deteriorated condition, and the contents issued so violently, as to cause much damage to the boat. No.17. Hull. (Fig. 10.) May 12th. 2 killed, 2 injured. plain cylinder boiler Fig. 10. One of two. Plain Cylinder, 4ft. 9in. long, 3ft. diameter, ¼ inch plates, 25 lbs. pressure. This was a second-hand boiler, and rent into several pieces just after being put to work, owing to its having become thinned to 1/8 inch by corrosion. No.18. Coatbridge. May 15th. 1 injured. Plain Cylinder, flat ends, 15ft. long, 5ft. diameter, 3/8 inch plates, 30 lbs. pressure. The back end blew out and caused considerable damage, and the boiler was thrown some distance. The end was very insufficiently stayed. No.19. Gravesend. (Fig. 11.) May 28th. 2 killed. marine boiler Fig. 11. One of two. Marine, 13ft. 5in. long, 7ft. 2in. diameter, 5/16 inch plates, 25 lbs. pressure. The fire was in two internal furnace tubes No.20. Durham. (Fig. 12.) June 8th. 2 killed. plain cylinder boiler Fig. 12. One of eight. Plain Cylinder, 30ft. long, 6ft. diameter, 3/8 inch plates, 35 lbs. pressure. The plates were arranged longitudinally. Boiler had worked 27 years, and was much deteriorated, and gave way at an old fracture over the grate, and was torn into 4 pieces, which were thrown a great distance. No.21. Huddersfield. (Fig. 13.) June 20th. 1 killed, 6 injured. one tube Cornish boiler Fig. 13. One tube Cornish, 24ft. long, 6ft. diameter. Tube 3ft. 3in. diameter, 3/8 inch plates, 40 lbs. pressure. The seams were arranged diagonally, but the rents had not followed the seams, but had torn the plates. The shell gave way where extensive corrosion had reduced the plates to 1/8 inch in thickness, and all the shell was blown off, and the tube thrown over and turned end for end. No.22. June 22nd. none injured. Two tube Cornish, 27ft. long, 7ft. 6in. diameter. Tube 3ft. diameter, 7/16 inch plates, 70 lbs. pressure. Left hand tube collapsed from end to end owing to its weakness without strengthening rings. No.23. Halifax. July 9th. 6 injured. Two tube Cornish, 20ft. long, 6ft. 3in. diameter. Tube 2ft. 3in. diameter, 3/8 inch plates, 55 lbs. pressure. The shell was blown completely off, leaving the tubes and ends intact. The bottom was extensively corroded, so that the strength of the boiler was so reduced as not to be able to bear the usual pressure. No.24. Wrexham. (Fig. 14.) July 9th. 2 injured. two furnace upright boiler Fig. 14. Two Furnace Upright, 22ft. high, 8ft. 10in. diameter, 3/8 inch plates, 14 lbs. pressure. Small piece was blown out of the bottom, and the issuing contents disturbed the brickwork surrounding the boiler. The plate was corroded to a knife edge in the line of fracture, from the leaking of the adjacent blow-pipe joint. No.25. Dundee. July 13th. 1 killed, 1 injured. Two tube Cornish, 28ft. 6in. long, 7ft. diameter, 3/8 inch plates. Tube 2ft. 2in. diameter, 7/16 inch plates, 40 lbs. pressure. Both furnaces collapsed, and ruptured from overheating through shortness of water. No.26. Halifax. July 14th. 3 injured. Locomotive, 10ft. 9in. long, 4ft. diameter, ½ inch plates, 130 lbs. pressure. Nearly all the barrel was blown away. The inside was very much corroded, and there was a deep furrow at the line of first rupture, caused by the alteration in form of the boiler in the strain of working. This is usually obviated by substituting butt for lap joints, so that the pressure does not tend to alter the circular shape of barrel. No.27. Limerick. July 21st. 2 killed, 1 injured. Locomotive. Few particulars are obtained. The connecting rod broke, and the loose end attached to the crank pierced the boiler, and allowed the contents to issue and scald those near. No.28. Hanley. (Fig. 15.) July 31st. 1 killed. plain cylinder boiler Fig. 15. One of three. Plain Cylinder, 36ft. 9in. long, 5ft. diameter, 3/8 inch plates, 50 lbs. pressure. The boiler parted at a seam over the fire bridge. The front end was thrown upwards and to a considerable distance to the front. The back part of the boiler was forced backwards. The first rent took place at a seam-rip at the ruptured seam, and the boiler exploded while the fire was being drawn in order to repair the faulty place. No.29. Easter Ross. August 8th. 2 killed, 3 injured. Agricultural. It exploded while travelling, by its own steam power. The engine had stuck fast, and extra pressure of steam was raised to try and extricate it. The boiler was torn in pieces, and scattered to a great distance. No.30. Bilston. (Fig. 16.) August 17th. 1 killed. plain cylinder boiler Fig. 16. One of two. Plain Cylinder, 30ft. long, 5ft. diameter, 3/8 inch plates, 46 lbs. pressure. The boiler gave way on the side where the plates were overheated by the water being too low, and the front part of the shell was flattened out and thrown some distance to the rear, as its course was influenced by its remaining attached to the rest of the boiler as by a hinge; while the front end was rent into several pieces, and the back end was thrown also to the rear and rolled down a declivity into a stream. No.31. Liverpool. (Fig. 17.) August 20th. 7 killed, 5 injured. two furnace chimney boiler Fig. 17. Two Furnace Chimney Boiler, 42ft. 4in. high, 6ft. 9in. diameter, ½ inch plates, 50 lbs. pressure. Nearly half the bottom plate was blown out, and the issuing contents found their way into the furnace and increased the damage. The line of rupture near where it joined the shell was corroded almost to a knife edge, which so reduced its strength as to make it unable to bear the usual working pressure of steam, in addition to that of the column of water in the boiler. No.32. Accrington. August 31st. 1 killed. A Kier or Steam Bleaching Chamber, somewhat like No. 2, and not used for generating steam, 9ft. high, 8ft. diameter, ½ inch plates, 50 lbs. pressure. The bottom blew out, and the shell was torn to pieces. The cause of explosion was weakness of the ruptured end, and want of care in working. No.33. Birmingham. September 11th. 1 killed, 1 injured. Two tube Cornish. The manlid was wrongly fixed outside with internal clamps. It was being screwed up tighter to stop leaking when the bolt broke, and the lid came off and allowed the contents of the boiler to escape. No.34. Greatbridge. (Fig. 18.) September 21st. none injured. one tube externally fired boiler Fig. 18. One of four. One tube, externally fired, 18ft. 6in. long, 6ft. 6in. diameter. Tube 3ft. diameter, ½ inch plates, 40 lbs. pressure. In sketch the shell is shown in dotted lines to allow the tube to be seen. The tube collapsed from end to end and ruptured at two seams, and the contents issued so violently as to knock down the brickwork and displace the boiler. The tube was in a very weak and corroded condition, and unable to bear the usual working pressure. No.35. Moxley. (Fig. 19.) September 28th. 13 killed, 2 injured. upright furnace boiler Fig. 19. One of four. Four Furnace Upright, 22ft. high, 10ft. 6in. No.36. Winsford. September 30th. 1 killed. Plain Cylinder. Few particulars obtained. The end over the fire burst open and allowed the contents to escape. A thick accumulation of scale on the bottom had caused the plate to become overheated by preventing proper contact of the water. No.37. Elsecar. (Fig. 20.) October 2nd. 2 killed. upright furnace boiler Fig. 20. One of four. Two Furnace Upright, 21ft. high, 7ft. diameter, 7/16 inch plates, 58 lbs. pressure. A large piece of plate was blown out of the side of the boiler, and the reaction of the issuing contents threw the boiler over on to its side. The plate was said to be overheated from shortness of water, but as the centre tubes were uninjured, the ruptured plate may have become overheated from the intense heat impinging on one place, causing so rapid a generation of steam as to prevent proper contact of water. No.38. Glasgow. October 12th. 1 killed, 1 injured. Plain Cylinder, 39ft. long, 5ft. diameter, 3/8 inch plates. A small piece of plate about one-and-half-feet area blew out of the bottom, and the contents issued so violently as to do much damage, although the boiler itself was not otherwise injured. The ruptured plate was corroded, to 1/16 inch thickness by the leaking of seams, caused by the feed water entering close to the bottom of the boiler. No.39. Swansea. October 13th. 2 killed, 1 injured. One of twenty-four. One tube Cornish, worked by two furnaces, 23ft. long, 6ft. 6in. diameter. Tube 3ft. 9in. diameter, ½ inch plates, 40 lbs. pressure. The tube was divided by a wall down the middle. The tube collapsed sideways. It was said that one side was overheated through shortness of water, but it is more than probable the explosion was owing to the weakness of so large a tube without strengthening rings. No.40. Preston. October 16th. 2 injured. This was an arrangement of pipes, called an "Economiser," placed in the flues of a set of boilers for heating the feed water. It was shattered into fragments, causing considerable damage. As the whole apparatus was said to be in proper order, the explosion had been attributed to coal gas in the flues, and some peculiarities in the ruptured pipes bear out the supposition. No.41. London. (Fig. 21.) October 19th. 6 injured. Kitchen boiler Fig. 21. Kitchen Boiler, for supplying hot water to the top of a lofty house. It was rectangular, 3ft. 6in. wide, 2ft. 6in. high, and 1ft. deep. The front was blown out and caused considerable damage. No.42. London. (Fig. 22.) October 30th. 2 killed, 10 injured. one tube Cornish Fig. 22. One tube Cornish, 15ft. long, 5ft. diameter, 3/8 inch plates, 50 lbs. pressure. Tube oval at fire end, 2ft. 11in. wide, 2ft. 6in. high. Circular beyond bridge, tapering to 2ft. diameter at back end. In sketch outside shell is shown in dotted lines to allow tube to be seen. The front of the tube burst beneath the fire bars, and rent upwards. Tube collapsed beyond bridge and rent open at each side, but remained intact over the fire. The oval part of the tube was of so very weak a shape, that it burst open, and the collapse of the back part followed as a consequence. No.43. Birmingham. (Fig. 23.) December 2nd. 1 injured. small portable boiler Fig. 23. Small Portable Boiler, 4ft. 9in. high, 2ft. 3in. diameter, ¼ inch plates, 40 lbs. pressure. The shell was rent completely off. The explosion arose from the large size of the manhole, which had no guard ring on the edge, and the lid had strained it and caused several cracks, and at last forced itself through the boiler, and the rents spread in every direction, and caused the break up of the boiler. No.44. Newcastle. (Fig. 24.) December 11th. 3 killed, 3 injured. marine upright Fig. 24. Marine Upright, 13ft. 3in. high, 6ft. 6in. diameter, ½ inch plates. Internal fire-box 8ft. 6in. high, 6ft. diameter at bottom, 5ft. 3in. diameter at the top, 3/8 inch plates, 50 lbs. pressure. In the sketch the shell is shown in dotted lines to allow the internal fire-box to be seen. The boiler was rent into many pieces, many of which were lost in a river, so that a satisfactory conclusion as to the cause of the explosion was impossible. The boiler was not very firmly stayed, and it is supposed that it was weakened by corrosion round the fire doors. No.45. Hartlepool. December 29th. 1 injured. Marine, with 3 internal fireplaces joined at the back. The back of the junction tube gave way at a place deeply corroded, and allowed the contents of the boiler to escape. NOTE.—Two more illustrations may be given which are not sufficiently important to include in the above list. Willenhall. (Fig. 25.) December 24th. none injured. plain cylinder boiler Fig. 25. One of two. Plain Cylinder, 25ft. 6in. long, 5ft. 6in. diameter, Stoke. (Fig. 26.) December 9th. none injured. upright furnace boiler Fig. 26. One of eight. Four Furnace Upright, 22ft. high, 9ft. diameter, 7/16 inch plates, 45 lbs. pressure. The water was allowed to get so low that the shell was overheated and rent, and the side tube slightly collapsed, and the injury was not discovered until the feed water had risen up to the rupture, when it ran into the furnaces without causing any violent explosion, although cold water had been put into a red hot boiler. STOURBRIDGE: |
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