Source
G & J Weir Limited, Cathcart, Glasgow, S4.
The Weir Direct-Acting Feed Pump for Land Installations. Working Instructions, Publication No.42/9, March 1953 Edition, supplied to and obtained from the now closed Beckton Gas Works, North Thames Gas Board.
Description
Single cylinder, double acting vertical steam pump with positive acting valve gear.
Construction
The steam cylinder is cast iron, lagged with a non-conducting composition, covered with planished sheet steel except for the 3½" and 4½" diameter sizes. The pumping end is cast iron with a gunmetal liner and the columns between are mild steel.
The rod for pumps 4"x12" and under, is one piece of rolled navel brass. For pumps 5"x12" the rod is one piece of stainless steel. Pumps 6"x13" and larger the rod is in two pieces, with the piston rod of mild steel and the pumping rod of stainless steel, joined by a forged steel crosshead.
The valve seats and guards for pumps up to and including 4" diameter, are Kinghorn valves on gunmetal seats. For 5" and 6" pumps, the Weir patent flat-faced group valves and seats are of stainless steal. For 7" pumps and upwards, the Weir patent flat-faced group valves and seats are of stainless steel in gunmetal decks and guards.
There is one suction and two discharge branches.
Range
The specifications for the 'standard' feed pump are shown below.
| Normal Duty | Maximum Duty | |||
| Size PumpxSteamxStroke |
Gallons / hour (water) |
Double strokes per minute |
Gallons / hour (water) |
Double strokes per minute |
| 2½"x3½"x5" | 270 | 32 | 340 | 40 |
| 3"x4½"x6" | 410 | 28 | 535 | 36 |
| 4"x6"x7" | 660 | 21 | 810 | 26 |
| 4"x6"x12" | 960 | 18 | 1205 | 22½ |
| 5"x7"x12" | 1450 | 17 | 1725 | 20 |
| 6"x8½"13" | 2000 | 14½ | 2350 | 16½ |
| 6"x8½"x18" | 2700 | 13½ | 3350 | 16½ |
| 7"x9½"x21" | 4000 | 13 | 4750 | 15 |
| 8"x10½"x22" | 5500 | 12½ | 6350 | 14½ |
| 9"x12"x24" | 7200 | 12 | 8100 | 13½ |
| 10"x13½"x24" | 9000 | 12 | 10000 | 13½ |
| 11½"x15½"x24" | 11250 | 11½ | 12000 | 12½ |
| 12½"x17"x24" | 13200 | 11½ | 13800 | 12 |
| 12½"x17"x28" | 14700 | 11 | 15400 | 11½ |
| 14"x20"x27" | 16500 | 10 | 18100 | 11 |
| 14"x20"x32" | 19600 | 10 | 21500 | 11 |
Collection
There is one Weir Simplex steam pump in the collection.
- Simplex vertical 3x4½x6, No.199888, 1947, Heybridge-Coaster
Simplex vertical 3x4½x6, No.199888, 1947, Heybridge-Coaster
Size: 3" pumping cylinder, 4½" steam cylinder with 6" stroke.
This pump was acquired from a collector in Essex, originated from a scrapped coaster vessel based in Heybridge Basin near Maldon.
It has since been fully restored, but unfortunately does not run very well on air as the cylinder consumes so much air. As a longer term project the insertion of a nylon cylinder liner to reduce air consumption may be a way forward?
