| Description | 31a. Dover Packet No. 5, Firefly (PE &PF). Sep. 1830, Sep. 1836, Dec. 1837. 10 items.
Two 25 horse side lever boat engines, with 30¼ inch cylinders, 2½ foot strokes. Boat re-named Myrtle 1837.
Section of the boat (sent by the builders?); cross-section showing engines and paddles, plan of the engine deck beams and side view of the engine and boiler, plan of the engine sleepers - drawings made in the London office.
Press copy sketch section of engine room and boiler with notes on pipes; press copy sketch plan of the engines and boiler with note on connecting pipes; press copy sketch of new plummer blocks, Sep. 1836; press copy sketch of coal boxes, Dec. 1837 (as Myrtle); press copy specification for new boiler by James Brown, 1837 (as Myrtle); press copy memorandum "Memo. for Intended Dover Steam Packet" (not dated).
For H. M. Post Office, Dover station. Firefly was launched on 11 Aug. 1831. The boat was re-named Myrtle in 1837 when the Navy took over the Post Office packet fleet. These drawings were kept in the London office and sent to Soho at a later date. Note that James Watt & Co. provided two 35 horse screw engines for a collier also called Firefly in 1854 [see Avery Portfolio 6/80a)].
See also: Portfolio 5/1130. |