Source

Manufacturer: W Sisson & Co. Ltd., Engineers, Elmbridge Road, Gloucester, England

References taken from "The Sisson High-Speed Engine" Catalogue courtesey of the Library, Internal Fire, Museum of Power, Tan-yr-Groes, West Wales and records held by the ISSES.

Collection

There is one Sisson steam engine in the collection.

• Vertical inverted totally enclosed single cylinder steam engine by W Sisson of Gloucester

Enclosed vertical 5 x 2½, No.5278, 1949, Marine use

Size: 5" diameter steam piston with 2½" stroke and 17" diameter flywheel; vertical and totally enclosed inverted engine with pressurised lubrication.

This engine was originally purchased for use on board a ship and was originally driving a 5kW Verity dynamo @ 8½ BHP, 1000 revs and 100-120 psig steam.

The ship was being broken up in Plymouth Docks and the Sissons rescued by the Evans family in Cornwall, dismantled and stored. It was later advertised on eBay and purchsed by Colin Williams, of Billingshurst in July 2014, where it has lain untouched, under a tarpaulin waiting to be restored. Unfortunately Colin passed away before any restoration had begun. His son had the task of disposing of his father's collection, mainly i/c engines, however, I was able to acquire the remaining steam items; this Sissons and three small W-S duplex pumps in November 2021.

Upon stripping, the engine was found to be in a reasonable condition especially when one considers that it had been left outside and home to a family of mice! Nevertheless it appears that when Colin purchased the engine in 2014, several parts were missing and could not be found. These parts include the bronze eccentric straps for the piston valve and oil pump, dynamo, bed plate, most of the nuts and studs (BSW 7/16") and all of the external instrumentation, drain cocks and connecting pipe-work.

Restoration has commenced; all the cover plates, main casting, cylinder and other cast iron parts have been thoroughly cleaned and fully painted. Oil-ways cleared, crankshaft cleaned and checked and some missing external components located, leaving the two eccentric straps to machine from scratch. The oil pump has been re-located in place enabling dimensions for the oil pump plunger and eccentric strap/rod to be determined, allowing machining to proceed. May 2022.

Two, one inch wide pieces of SAE 660 phosphor bronze tube were purchased and the two missing eccentrics machined to size, the internal groove being machined by Lamb Engineering of Salisbury. Upon re-assembly and tweaking of the valve positions the optimum setting was found and the engine ran continuously, although not sustainable as the compressor was flat out! (Sep 2022). In retrospect, the oil pressure could be improved by fitting a couple of "O" rings to the oil pump plunger, possible a winter project as the whole engine would require stripping to access the oil pump.