Rolls-Royce R Engine Running!

Interesting, I’ll have to recheck that then.

Both the S6a at Solent Sky and S6b in the Science Museum are engineless

I’ve just re-checked the article, and it definitely says R35.

So is the S.6 in Solent Sky engineless?

Is that correct? I was under the impression that the Filching Manor engine was R37.
The other two survivors are R25 and R27 in the RAF Museum and Science Museum respectively.

There’s a piece in the current “Motor Sport” magazine about the Filching Manor Motor Museum in Susex. They mention Bluebird K3, and say that the original engine, R35, is sitting in a cradle in “a dusty corner”. The article also days that it is one of three remaining.

Pete you said the Griffon and Meteor are the same capacity? Surly the Griffon is 37Ltr and the Meteor 27Ltr
Just thought about it some more you meant the same capacity as the R engine my bad…………

Yes, it’s a 58. Miss Canada IV was built in 1948 with a Griffon 57 taken from the production line, along with a spare. This was arranged through the engineering company in Ingersoll, owned by The Wilson family, who built the boat, and their involvement with the production of the Rolls-Royce Nene engine in Canada. Some years later the engines were returned to Rolls-Royce, rebuilt and returned to service with new engine numbers. I guess all the running gear from the engines was replaced, as they had been run at extreme speeds and powers. Detailed drawings and photos have been hard to locate, but the up draught air intake was definitely retained, as was the injection pump. We have fitted a short u-bend, primarily to catch fuel drained from the supercharger volute.

The original propeller suffered from bending of the blades, so Rotol propellers here in the UK machined one from a stainless steel forging at a cost if £10,000 (in 1950!)

A drama documentary, Harold and Lorna, is currently being made. Some info on the boat here:
http://www.lesliefield.com/boats_teams/1949_ca9.htm

Pete

Pete, is that a 57/58 type, was the intake modified; what was fitted originally? looks nicely done.

Would a Griffon be more appropriate than the Meteor

Yes, it`s the same capacity. I`m not convinced it would sound the same, because the Griffon has a characteristic note caused by the different arrangement of the crankshaft and firing order. Kestrels and Merlins are similar to each other in that respect and yet they sound quite different. that`s why I would love to hear an R running.
Here`s the Griffon we built for Miss Canada IV. 3000hp and an output speed of 9000rpm. Needless to say, we couldn`t find a dynamometer to test it on!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCgEBKZcU1Y&playnext=1&list=PLE58092E2AD650ED4&feature=results_video

Pete

They ran the engine when Bluebird K3 was displayed statically (on a trailer) at the annual “Bexhill 100” motor-fest a good few years ago – probably fifteen years ago?

I am sure they said it was the original Type R engine in it at that stage, but without digging out my old camcorder tapes to check I could be wrong.

The sound was incredible given the open exhaust ports – lovely!

Paul F

Not 100%, but I think you’ll find that was the Meteor too- I don’t think an ‘R’ has been run for a VERY long time!

Would a Griffon be more appropriate than the Meteor

They ran the engine when Bluebird K3 was displayed statically (on a trailer) at the annual “Bexhill 100” motor-fest a good few years ago – probably fifteen years ago?

I am sure they said it was the original Type R engine in it at that stage, but without digging out my old camcorder tapes to check I could be wrong.

The sound was incredible given the open exhaust ports – lovely!

Paul F

I`ll have to have a word with them!

Amen to that 🙂

The R engine was there on a rack when I saw it, I have a photo but can’t upload from the iPhone

I saw it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QgDVxLTZ3Q
I too thought it must have been an R engine.
I think it`s a wasted opportunity. I`ll have to have a word with them! That is assuming the R engine was still in the boat to begin with?

Pete

To confirm, this is Sir Malcolm Campbell’s Bluebird K3, running a Meteor tank engine.

where did they get that prop-shaft from? Morris minor?

So it’s just running a Meteor? interesting to be reminded what an internet video was like back in 1999

It’s K3, owned by Foulkes-Habbard at Polegate. He also has the original metro-Vick Beryl K7 was originally fitted with. When I went there K3 was piled high with paint cans & junk, good to see she’s restored.

We get the ITV local news that covers the South coast and according to their report the boat was running with a Rolls Royce Meteor engine. The owner did say during the interview I saw that they had the original engine back in the workshop but it was very expensive to overhaul.
From the costs angle a Meteor engine makes sense and it is a great acheivment to have her running again after all these years.
I think this one is Bluebird K3 or possibly K4 so maybe we will get to see her running on the same water as Bluebird K7 one day – that really would be a sight.

Is this the chap that normally runs it with a Merlin installed, as the overhaul on the “R” is a bit steep?