| Description | Steam Boat Engines (55 items).
1134. Liverpool Packet No. 1, Thetis (TG & TH). Nov., Dec. 1824, Mar., Sep., Nov. 1825, Jan., Apr., Dec. 1826-May 1827, Aug. 1827, Apr. 1828, Jun., Jul. 1829, Nov. 1831, Dec. 1834, May, Jun. 1839, Jan.-Mar. 1840. 55 items.
Two 70 horse power side lever boat engines, with 44½ inch cylinder, 4½ foot strokes. Power increased to 81 horses 1835. Boat re-named Avon 1837.
Drawings used for both Thetis and Dolphin:
Side view of 70 horse engine (not dated); cross-section of the boats and engines, plan of the engines and sleepers, side view of the engine and paddle wheel and part of boiler - coloured drawings; plan of the engine deck beams (coloured), plan of the boiler and engine platforms (these drawings are only titled "Liverpool No. 1", but are noted in bottom right corner as being for both Thetis and Dolphin).
Drawings for the Thetis:
Columns and plummer block etc. - coloured reverse drawing (also used for 80 horse engines); sketch of clutch; sections of boiler - partially coloured original drawing; sections and plan of boiler - 2 partially shaded reverse drawings; paddle wheels - partially coloured original drawing; working gear - partially coloured original and partially coloured reverse drawings; side view of working gear - partially coloured reverse drawing; parts of working gear - partially coloured original and partially coloured reverse drawings; further parts of working gear - partially coloured reverse drawing; plan of the engine platform (drawing made by William Langdon in the London office); new columns and stays for 70 and 80 horse boat engines - coloured original and coloured reverse drawings.
Also the following later items: proposed alteration of the working gear, Dec. 1826; alteration of the working gear - 2 sheets of coloured drawings made in the London office, Jan. 1827; side view of proposed headstocks and working gear, sheet of drawings of the working gear [by William Bennett?], sketch of slide valve cross bar, Feb. 1827; eccentric rods, Mar. 1827; feed and emptying pipes - original and reverse drawings, cross-section of the boat showing the pumps, Apr. 1827; sketch of alteration of starting lever, May 1827; "alteration of the Thetis" - coloured original and direct copy showing headstocks, columns, framing etc., May 1827; alteration of the injection gear, throttle valve gearing, upper blow valve gearing, steam pipes, hand rail at Holyhead - 2 sheets of drawings, Aug. 1827; section and plan of boiler - partially coloured drawing made in the London office, Apr. 1828, marked "not executed"; section and plan of boiler, letter from ? to William Bennett re steam pipes, Jun. 1829; steam pipes for new boiler - coloured elevation and plan, letter from William Bennett to John Richardson dated Soho, 16 Jul. 1829, with copy of the drawing of the steam pipes on the same sheet; sketches of parallel motion brasses, air pump side rods etc. by William Bennett, Nov. 1831; partially coloured plan and sections of the boiler by William Bennett, Dec. 1834.
Also the following items from when the boat was re-named Avon: sketch plan of boiler, and larger plan with press copy, May 1839; section and plan of boiler - 1 partially coloured original and 2 partially coloured reverse drawings, Jun. 1839; steam, blow-off and injection pipes - coloured reverse drawing made in the London office, Jan. 1840; sketch for upper headstocks - 2 reverse drawings made in the London office, Feb. 1840; emptying pipes and cocks for boiler - partially coloured original and partially coloured reverse drawings, Mar. 1840. Some of the drawings bear letter codes.
Original Portfolio or 'Book' No. 785. Catalogue of Old Engines p. 316.
For H. M. Post Office, Liverpool station. Thetis was fitted with 48½ inch cylinders in 1835, which increased the power of the engines to 81 horses. She was re-named Avon in 1837 when the Navy took over the Post Office packet fleet.
See also: Portfolio 6/91 (proposed headstock, 1827; rods for Avon).
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