Daniel Adamson News 2004

Most recent news appears first.

MODEL BOAT WEEKEND MARCH 05 / 06- VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED

A table stall has been booked at the Model Boat Trade Fair at the Ellesmere Port Boat Museum on Saturday and Sunday - March 05 / 06 to promote the society. If you can spare a little time that weekend to help crew the stall please get in touch with Colin Leonard.  colin_leonard60@hotmail.com

WORKING PARTIES

The first working parties of the new year will assemble on January 04 & January 15.

STEERING ENGINE

WORKING PARTY UPDATE - NOVEMBER 27

Neil Marsden writes about the working party on November 27:

Great day at the boat today, despite a cold start and early dusk, we had ten volunteers in attendance, succeeded in cleaning out the boiler water spaces, removing the lime trays and bagging up the old lime ready for the new to go in on Tuesday. 

Lifted the last of the main deck sheathing up forward, so all wood planking from stem to aft end of engine casing now lifted.

The complete starboard side, which was painted with preservative paint on Thursday, has now been covered with shuttering ply, all neatly fitted with inclined camber toward scuppers to allow run off, all ready for first coat of non-slip top coat on Tuesday. 

Several turns of old packing removed from port main engine piston rod glands, a major job as the turns of packing were each about an inch square in section and had become very hard with age. 

The removal of the packing will hopefully make the turning of the engine a lot easier. Eddie Doig and Nigel Farrell even stripped down the Calor Gas cooker, tested it and have removed the burners for a thorough clean up, hopefully this will allow us to enjoy some hot food when it really turns chilly. 

All in all a very successful day.

WORKING PARTIES

An additional working party date has been scheduled for Saturday December 11, 2004 <click here>

Due to the cold weather, reduced hours of day-light weekend working parties will be reduced over the winter months.

MEMBERSHIP

The Daniel Adamson Preservation Society has welcomed its 170th member this weekend.

GIFT AID FORMS

At the top of this page you will note a prominent reminder about the return of Gift Aid forms. If you did not complete one of these forms at the time of joining the Daniel Adamson Preservation Society please download a copy, print and complete it.

Each completed form will release additional funds to the Society.

If you are a UK Income and / or Capital Gains Tax payer please complete your form NOW! - Thank you.

STEAM BOAT ASSOCIATION VISIT DANIEL ADAMSON

A party of members from the Steam Boat Association of Great Britain [www.steamboat.org.uk] visited the DANIEL ADAMSON on Saturday October 30.

MEETING SUCCESS

The Daniel Adamson Preservation Society's  open meeting held at the Mersey Maritime Museum on Saturday October 23, 2004 proved to be a great success with people attending from as far away as Invergordon.

The meeting provided an opportunity for society members and other interested parties to find out more about the project to preserve the Daniel Adamson and the progress made to date.

Figures recorded were: 

Visits to the Daniel Adamson -  26 members and 5 associates

At the meeting 41 members with 8 associates.

Total attendance at the meeting including members and non-members  was  64.

The society would like to thank everyone for coming along. 

WORKING PARTY RECORDS BROKEN 

The working party which turned out on Saturday October 02 broke all previous records. Sixteen volunteers attended contributing a total of 108 hours of hard work. It was a great achievement and we would like to thank all who turned out. [This was followed by 9 members on Tuesday!].

There has been much work going on but towards the end of Saturday, most people helped out removing all the deck plates out of the engine room. This was to allow the entire engine room and especially the bilges to be steam cleaned. Over the last couple of weeks, several members lead by John Deakin have been in the engine room bilges “digging” out many inches of thick black tar-like substance as well as removing all broken glass etc.

Once all solids had been removed,  Dan Cross arranged for us to borrow Svitzer Marine's oil recovery vessel “Polgarth” for a few hours and their steam cleaner. On Tuesday the Polgarth arrived and the entire engine room was steamed out and the bilges are now 100% better. All bilge water which was full of grease and oil was then pumped into the Polgarth. A big thank-you to Svitzer’s for their assistance once again.

This coming Saturday the job of putting the engine room plates back along with ladders and covers will begin. Volunteers welcome!

Meanwhile as the pictures show, the port side main deck was ripped up after lengthy recording of it had taken place. The steel work underneath is in remarkable condition, it was the corroded bolts that were allowing rain water to leak into the accommodation.

A temporary “catwalk” will now be constructed to avoid tripping on the bolts.

The fore-peak store was also completed and now sparkles thanks to lots of chipping and painting.

PROGRESS REPORT

The aft deck covers are now complete and the Daniel Adamson now offers suitable shelter from the elements thus enabling all manner of jobs to be undertaken without interruption from the weather.

Up forward Eddie Doig has nearly finished the painting of the foredeck store, Jack Nulty and Gordon Owen have lifted some more decking, the steelwork beneath being in magnificent condition, they have chipped off any loose paint and rust then finished off the exposed metal with a coat of primer paint. Down below, John Deakin, Nigel Farrell and Neil Marsden have lifted the engine room floor plates and have set about digging out twenty years worth of oily mess from the bilges.  On Saturday September 19 we managed to fill about four bin bags with a treacle like gunge in readiness for a thorough clean-up with a steam cleaner. Dave Broomby and John Hake set about bailing the aft accommodation bilges, removing a great deal of rotten timber from there as well as drawing off the bulkhead glands on both port and starboard prop. shafts, ready for examination and checking the packing etc. 

In addition they also tidied up the shafts, then stepped ashore to attack the nearby toilet block, this had not been cleaned for some time, but after the special attention lavished by John is now transformed to allow a very acceptable facility for one and all.

Aside from this our great supporter, Bill Thompson of JPS Scaffolding spent several hours assisting with all manner of odd jobs and added a temporary cover for the bow area, this effectively completes the 'weatherproofing' of the vessel and has transformed the 'Danny' into a considerably more comfortable work place!

Neil Marsden

Further work has commenced to secure the Daniel Adamson from the weather. On August 24, JPS Scaffolding Supplies erected a framework over the after deck aft from the funnel which will support a covering. The cover will be put in place on August 25. 

This will afford complete protection from the rain and prevent the ingress of rainwater. Interestingly the completed cover may not look too unlike the awning which was installed on the vessel when she operated on the Manchester Ship Canal as the Ralph Brocklebank. <photos> 

GIFT AID

In the near future all DAPS UK members will receive a GIFT AID form sent to them through the post. A copy will also be posted to the web site. 

Now that the Daniel Adamson Preservation Society is a registered charity every member completing and returning the form will enable the society to reclaim tax paid.  

For every £1 donated or paid in membership subscriptions the society can reclaim 28p. This applies to subscriptions and donations already paid as well as renewals and future donations.

All you have to do is complete the very straightforward form and return it to the society. The Gift Aid scheme applies to all UK Income and Capital Gains Tax payers.

ABOUT TURN!

Some people may have noticed that the DANIEL ADAMSON has been turned around in Salisbury Dock. This is to make the protection offered by the green sheeting around the promenade deck more effective. In case some people were wondering it was undertaken by the "handraulic" motive power of nine volunteers last weekend.

DECKING

This week detailed photographs were taken of the Daniel Adamson's decking, or what remains of it. The decking has become porous and rotten in places. It is intended to remove the forward decking as soon as possible as this is acting like a sponge and could lead to a deterioration of the plating underneath. Prior to the removal of the deck planking detailed photographs were taken of what remains to facilitate its replacement in the future.

HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DANIEL ADAMSON

A new section of the web site has been set up - The Historical Gallery which will contain photographs and information about the DANIEL ADAMSON's operational period.

Photographic material is sought for inclusion. Please <click here> for more information.

On Saturday August 07 a group of members fixed a large plastic sheet around the front of the promenade deck to provide protection to the decking. Whilst the canopy above the promenade deck has provided some protection, the sheeting will  enhance this further especially from the angular rain which prevails down near the river! As well as protecting the deck, the sheeting will also provide additional shelter for working parties. We appear to be on the decline into autumn and winter already looking at the prevailing weather!

By Saturday  24^th July, the boiler-room bilges had been cleaned enough by our band of volunteers to allow the boiler to be opened up for an initial inspection. We didn’t want the boiler open while there was still lots of dust and general “muck”  flying around that may enter the boiler space. Our volunteers had also entered the three furnaces beforehand, to remove all the surface scale and rust. The inside of the furnaces and the combustion chambers are now very clean and practically rust free.

All the bottom mud-hole doors were opened as was the top door of the boiler. The boiler was then thoroughly vented for a couple of days. We were pleased to see that the boiler had been “laid up” in the correct fashion by the MSCCo nearly twenty years ago. It had been thoroughly “blown down” and was free of water, furthermore trays of lime had been placed inside to remove and prevent moisture from forming within the water space.

The purpose of this initial inspection was that it was to be done by our members, some of who have great experience with boilers and was to give us some initial guidance as to the condition of the boiler without the cost of a survey by a boiler insurance surveyor at this early stage. Further investigations will take place in the near future and a report on the condition of the boiler will be produced as part of our “planning for the future” stage.

Also during the day, attention was paid to the two main engines. Both engines could be turned with the hand turning gear but they were stiff and not thankfully ceased up which is a surprise after twenty years of inactivity. 

A group of members removed the cylinder covers off both engines to check for moisture and corrosion. Little if any was found and liberal amounts of John Deakin's “magic mix” was applied to the pistons and moving parts to keep things from seizing. This is an important part of ensuring there is no deterioration in the condition of the “Danny” now she is ours. A big thank-you to all who attended.  

- Dan Cross

From Neil Marsden - <click here for photos>

Despite the frequent downpours of the last few days we have been making progress in our efforts to make  the 'DA' a little more rainproof. 

We have already erected tarpaulins over the after deck but we need more to complete the job (any offers???).

The two we already have in place keep a lot of the rain off, but still more is finding it's way in. Ideally we need to construct a framework to support the tarpaulins and provide a 'pitched roof' over the complete after deck the ends passing over the ships side, rather than at present where they stop short and the run off 'hopefully' runs into the scuppers, sadly not all of it!  

Because of the condition of the after decks this problem needs resolving as soon as possible, the after bilges require pumping virtually every visit and this wastes a lot of time and effort which could be better utilised elsewhere. 

Full covering would allow the area below deck a chance to dry out and make life a lot more pleasant for those who will need to clear it ready for renovation.

The two views show the limited cover we now have and will give an idea of what we need to do. You will notice a cover has been fitted to the funnel top and secured in place thanks to the efforts of John Griffiths, new volunteer John Hake and (from today's efforts) 'Steeple' Jack Nulty!

Last photo depicts John Griffiths making final adjustments to his custom made funnel cover,  so that now, that four foot diameter tubular hole in the deck aka the funnel is now rainproof! He and John Hake have also made and secured ventilator covers too. So if anyone has some scaffolding and a tarpaulin or two to spare we'd love to hear from them, we can certainly put them to good use!

Saturday July 10 saw another good volunteer turn out with ten members turning up.

Neil Marsden reports that a lot of work was undertaken including a great deal of muck and coal dust being scraped and brushed from the boiler bilges which now look very spic and span. 

New member Nigel Farrell did another great job in the boiler today, it was only his second visit and on both occasions has eagerly volunteered to get stuck in with some of the dirtiest jobs. Aside from Nigel, new members Stephen Greenhalgh and Jack Nulty were also back again this weekend and very much appreciated for their efforts. 

With the other regulars we are now making great progress despite the awful weather of late.

The Daniel Adamson Preservation Society is now a registered charity. Our registration number is: 1104681. <click here to view details>

Over the weekend of July 03/ 04 two teams of volunteers were at work. One painted the bulwarks black which means that only the white hull lines remain to be painted. 

The second team made a good start in preparing the boiler for survey by cleaning out the furnaces and undertaking other preparatory work.

A group of Manchester Ship Canal Company divers met with a small group of DAPS members at the Boat Museum, Ellesmere Port on Friday July 02.

The object of the exercise was to attempt recovery of components of the Daniel Adamson which had been thrown overboard by vandals who had boarded the vessel during her time in the ship dock. 

Unfortunately due to the thickness of the silt on the bottom there was very little chance of finding anything else and after a little over two hours they gave it up.  Still, we are very grateful to them for at least trying and the recovery of the two important items made the exercise worth while from our point of view. 

Over the weekend of June 26 /  27 The Daniel Adamson Preservation Society attended its first transport rally event. - The Inland Waterways Association National Campaign Rally on the Bridgewater Canal at Runcorn.

Attendance at such events is important as it raises public awareness of the society, enables us to recruit new members, gain public donations etc. It is also interesting to meet people who have had a connection with the "Daniel Adamson" during her long career of service.

The society hopes to attend further transport rallies and nautical related events initially in the North West. If anyone knows of an upcoming events which may be worth attending please get in touch.

Of course the attendance at such events is only possible if our stand can be manned. For this purpose we will continue to need volunteers. If you don't feel able to make a contribution to the working parties on board the vessel, you may very well be able to help us run the rally stand.  

On Saturday June 12, work was underway to replace the four tons of limestone ballast which had to be removed from the vessel prior to dry docking.

The big news is that the Daniel Adamson returned to her natural element on Sunday morning June 06, 2004. Her hull now looks superb! 

However, securing the hull is only the first of many steps to be taken before restoration is complete. This is not the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning!

To view the progress of work during the dry docking check out the gallery pages.

Work has continued on the Daniel Adamson this week at North Western Ship Repairers Clarence #1 Dry Dock.

Much rubbish on board the vessel has been cleared into a skip.

With the vessel out of the water the sea John Deakin has led a group working down below.  The sea valves have now been stripped and serviced. The three valves in the boiler room which were directly bolted to the hull have been burnt off by the shipyard. This had to be done to enable all the brass studs holding them to be replaced as a couple had failed. New steel pads will be welded back and the valves re attached.

During the week the fore-peak tank was given a new cement wash. The entrance to the tank is rather constricted and required and slim volunteer to enter it and carry out the required work. Here we see Chris Marsden somewhat cement splattered taking a breather on the promenade deck after the work was completed.

Grit blasting of the hull commenced on Wednesday. Completion of the grit blasting was followed by the priming of the hull ready for painting. 

A consequence of the grit blasting was a large amount of spent grit left coating on the bottom of the dry dock to a depth of almost 1 centimetre. This had to be cleared out. Saturday afternoon saw a group of volunteers descend into the dry dock with shovels to move several tons of the stuff to the skip. It was rather hard work not helped by the fact that the skip couldn't be moved as the work progressed.

Once the dry dock had been cleaned up, various spare parts and casting patterns, received from the MSC store at Runcorn were load loaded on board.

The Daniel Adamson Preservation Society is now in the process of applying for charitable status. 

Compiled by John Luxton

The Daniel Adamson was moved into North Western Ship Repairers Clarence #1 Dry Dock on Thursday May 20.

On Friday May 21, Daniel Adamson underwent an Non Destructive Test [NDT] survey which revealed her hull to be very good condition.

Founding director Dan Cross comments: " She passed the NDT with flying colours- a true testament to her build quality and the way she was maintained to the highest standard by the Manchester Ship Canal Company  up to 1985.

According to the limited drawings we have, she was built out of 5/20" and 6/20" plate. 

There was evidence of welding which in turn indicates some new plates had been added which ties up with the paperwork we have which mentions new plates being put in during the 1953 re-fit."

Surveyor Mark Nichols carried out the NDT survey of the hull and commented at one stage that he was getting bored due to there being no flaws in the hull shell whatsoever. 

The minimum thickness discovered was 6.8mm with an average of 7.5mm. 

Marine Surveyor Geoff Heaps who also was carrying out a full survey today for insurance purposes stated he had no worries with the DA and added that she was extremely watertight and had no problems recommending her to the insurers for continued use afloat as far as the hull is concerned.

Shot blasting of the hull will commence on Monday or Tuesday [May 24 / 25] once the free paint from Sigma arrives.

She will look so much different once she leaves with newly painted and blasted hull and bulwarks.

John Deakin is heading up a small band of members, myself included, to carry out what work we can such as sea-valves ands re-cement washing the fore-peak and aft-peak tanks.

It is also hoped to get the engine room / boiler room bilges cleaned out while in dry-dock, as they are in a filthy state.

The remainder of the limestone ballast was removed on Saturday May 15. The removal of the limestone has revealed the hull lined with cement. With all the limestone removed DANIEL ADAMSON now rides a good four inches out of the water. The top of her rudder is now out of the water. Pat Brennan has also led some major tidying of the saloon. This now presents a completely different appearance to that which greeted visitors on the first visit to the DANIEL ADAMSON in February.

Eddie Doig

Both of the sealed tanks were opened up this morning, the fore peak was dry. However there was a substantial amount of scale on the tank top itself. This was removed, bagged and ready for the tip.

The aft hatch (tank) situated aft of the bitts posed another problem. This had water to the depth of about 1 metre and must have been at least 12 -14 tonnes in weight. 

Thank goodness the Fire Service has allowed us to borrow a pump on long term loan. This areas has now been pumped dry apart from a small amount that the pump would not remove.

Upon inspection several items were found down there. The handles to the deck bilge,  along with the key that is used to release the prop nuts. 

All of these items are however quite rusty but are salvageable. There was also an amount of large diameter chain down there which had stuck together due to the length of time that it had been down there.

The aft accommodation again posed us a problem. Due the amount of rain that we have had recently and the decks leaking like a sieve the bilges had about 12 inches of water in them again. 

An amount of the stone ballast has been removed.

Access to the wheelhouse is now possible as the door is now working.

- George Pennington