Welland 2019 Dyno test of Boadicea

[glen233]

if this is the case, is this practise illegal ?on any insurance policy it states that you are nor covered for racing pace making etc .

[weidner]

Many Pickering governors had a spring loaded trip device to close the governor in the event of a mishap . This was often attached to a cord which ran to wherever it could be reached by those using the machinery . Known in the States , I believe , as ' The Sawyers Lever ' . The ratchet parts are often to be seen on governors .
A refinement of this was a weighted pulley on a swinging arm . The pulley ran on the back of the governor pulley , and if that belt broke or malfunctioned , then the pulley dropped and a lever from its arm tripped the ratchet and closed the governor . Very effective , and a good reason to use a Pickering .

[marshall8hp]

As noted above by Bob, this is a Pickering mill engine governor. the additional pulley rides on the belt, kept up by belt tension. It is fail safe in that if the belt breaks, the governor closes and cuts off the steam. In addition you will see it is fitted with a sawyers valve. This usually had a rope from each end to the saw (or machine) which allowed the operator to increase or decrease the governed speed at will, or effectively stop the engine.

[weidner]

Also to be seen on traction engines . Burrell 1426 had the full kit , fitted later in life when the original governore were no doubt worn out . Recent owners of this engine threw it all out and fitted repro' original governors .

[8_10 Brass Cleaner]

the governors on my Marshall has all the gear except the lever for the additional pulley.

None of it is original however. Not fitted with governors new.

[tenor]

Thanks for the interesting picture of a later Pickering governor with equipment to stop runaway in the event of loss of governor belt. I have learnt something today!

Martin

[muskymoto]

It is only a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt

Recently living vans ending up on their side!

Saw benches being overreved and throwing teeth

And belts being pushed twice their limit.

Dogs falling off engines and being run over by the living van. Heck even children

A C@@T on a steam engine being beheaded should really draw the crowds in.
Doesn’t matter how quick you shut the regulator when you have a belt wrapped round your neck you are going to struggle to do so.

I am all for pushing stuff to their limits but having witnessed a trailer running away at Dorset thank god it was stopped. The hole game needs some more common sense involved.

Or it won’t be long and we will all be confined to a museum saying “I remember seeing these at steam rallies!!’

[David Powell]

You could be sitting in an armchair in your basement and a large aeroplane could crash into your house and kill you !! But that is very unlikely.

Over revving a 100 year old engine while standing next to the 100 yr old flywheel is rather riskier

What matters to most of us is that the risk takers take their risks in circumstances and places where others will NOT be hurt and neither will the hobby itself suddenly find restrictions imposed by government.

In Canada and the States the spectator sport of watching monster truck racing came under tighter scrutiny and regulation after one ran amok , out of the arena, and killed a few spectators.

Play safe, have fun, and if you want to push the envelope do it so you will not harm anyone else.

Regards David Powell

[Tractoral]

Heaven forbid the belt caught on the safety valves and ripped them off........

[David Powell]

If that happened then the engine would soon stop ! Everyone around would get a shower in VERY hot water. ! The fusible plug would likely melt and whatever water was left in the boiler might put the fire out, or it might have a burned crown. Even in 2" size a fitting breaking off is a bit scary, but not a disaster. Regards David Powell.