Opposed Piston Marine Oil Engine

[@malgray2]

Standard power plant when I went to sea. 5 cylinder Doxford on my first ship, complete with scavenger pump and a steady 12 knots at 98 rpm. Love it.

[@stephencarey5074]

I went to sea in the late 60s, as an engineer cadet up to 2nd Engineer with WA Souter and Co, who had many ships with Doxford engines, being a "Geordie" company. I sailed on both LBD as both cadet and 3/E (the "D" meaning "Diaphragm" I was told) and also on a J-type (once as cadet, then as 4/E) so know them well. On those earlier ones, the swinging links in the crankcase and the nodding duck rubber hoses on the upper pistons were a bit of a work up, as was flogging off the massive nuts and bolts on the engine. Arms like Popeye! They were indeed smooth running as everything was balanced, but it had very small maintenance periods - I seem to remember 1500 hours for a piston overhaul, compared in those days to around 10,000hrs for a B&W. Those upper pistons gave rise to the engineroom being called "The Valley of Flying Metal". In my last days at sea on GF B&Ws, you couldn't see anything moving at all... The J-type was about the hardest graft I ever experienced in 18 years at sea - we pulled 12 units on one 6 month voyage round the world, and it was only a 4-cylinder engine! This was due to the "tri-part liners", which were not a good idea at all. Coupled with that we had Paxman RPH high speed generators which just about shook themselves to pieces quite regularly. The ship was the Sheaf Crest, built in Sunderland by Laing's shipyard and termed a "Doxford Liberty Replacement Ship". Pretty dire really! I see photos of the control stand, and know I can still start one of those engines as if it were yesterday!

[@freeradical1956]

Thanks for posting. I worked for Shaw Savill in the mid 70's .... trained as an Engineer Officer, my first ship was powered by two Doxford "J" type engines of this type (opposed piston).The engines were built in the mid '50's. While in port on the South American coast, we did some maintenance that involved removing a top piston and me getting inside the cylinder to "de-coke" the combustion area with an angle grinder. Big engines with a good reputation, burning the cheapest, dirtiest heavy oil.

[@standbytogo123]

That vessel would have been the ex Cretic, that became the Drina, the only cargo ship in the Shaw Saville Fleet of the 50's, 60's and 70's to have Doxford opposed Piston engines. The other vessels in the fleet apart from the new builds of the late sixties had Burmeister and Wain opposed Piston engines. One of the older vessels that was around during and after world war 2 had double acting opposed piston engines. As and Engineer a ship to avoid if at all possible, it was the Waiwera, Twin 6 Cyl DA (OP) H&W-B&W oil Engines.

[@keithchesworth9865]

I actually worked on the Dominion Monarch at Cammel Lairds when I was doing my pre-sea industrial time. She came in with the bed plate web frames cracked. It was a tricky welding job. All cracks welded at the same time with fitters watching DTI's on the crankshaft to monitor for distortion. Any distortion and the ship was scrap. She sailed away for years more service!

[@HAMPGIRARD]

Very nice video! I am marine engineer and worked many years with this kind of engine but version J diameter 67 cm and four cylinders. built around 1978, Doxford of course!

[@petternorberg4765]

The Doxford engine was a beautiful beast, the beauty was the quiet engine, almost like a steam engine, we actually had a steam auxillary engine as generator (spare) when this was running together with the main engine, you could speak and listen normally in the engine room. The beastypart was the injection system, with constant high pressure instead of the traditional Bosch type pump, and the hoses for cooling water in upper pistons (exhaust piston), they ripped open every now and then.

[@keithlevlevett3702]

I served on a Tate and Lyle sugar boat crystal ball in1962 so l got the worst cabin which was outside the engine room which housed a Doxford opposed engine very noisy! It packed up in the middle of the Atlantic with piston trouble it got sorted after several hours it was a great sight to see the opposed pistons and con rods working there used to be a model in the Martine museum in Greenwich London

[@MrLaydownsally]

Great story 👍

[@superiormusic]

As a marine engineer in modern time, it's would have been a wonder to behold this engine in operation. Amazing engineering indeed.

[@harryolynx]

Thanks for your post! There were sometimes reported broken yokes, all swimming in oil and so on. Pity for this great idea!

[@georgemcowan3466]

I served my apprenticeship with Barclay Curle in Glasgow on their Doxford Engines, during 1945-50,and during this period did four sea trials with the Doxford 4&6cyls, and didn't have a bit of trouble. I joined Shaw Saville and had a short spell on the Dominion Monarch.

[@harryolynx]

It's a pleasure for me to hear from gentlemen, who did actually know the Doxford engines and especially the beautiful Dominion Monarch. Thanks for watching and commenting! Greetings from Austria, Harry

[@Darwindavidnali]

Gidday Iain, Sorry to hear you will not be making the trip to Orkney for the wedding, I will make sure I maintain the standard and enjoy a wee dram with the uncles, aunts, cousins and hangers on! I am working on a new boat at the moment, a tournament style barra boat, I will link you to the photographs. Keep in touch. Cheers David and Ali

[@zainynordin3140]

I'm ex Marine engineer and so much exprienced with B&W engine,I feel very jealous to who had worked with this type of engine.....how lucky you're....

[@davidboardman8590]

Trust me. They were hard work keeping on top of water leaks in the crankcase as they had water cooled bottom pistons. Later engines had oil cooled pistons and they cut the work in half.

[@harryolynx]

Usually most people dont know this kind of engines, but it's nice to hear, that there are still some people, appreciating the great spirit of Doxford engineering. Thanks for watching and comment.

[@SrWolf90]

Totally agree, I adore Doxford's engineering, a very quiet, powerful engine, and with a very peculiar design. Despite its L-series design flaws, I love it.

[@giorgoslikissas895]

I was serving as a junior engeneer on M/V Lake Atlin in 1964 we did the trip from europe to the west coast and canada. she had a DOXFORD engine beuatiful engine.

[@DOGGEDROMAN]

In ww2, 3 of these ran on sea water. The ballast fuel tanks were installed with the fuel lines in the bottom of the wrong tanks, so they went from the United States to England compressing salt water into steam. Wrecked the engines, but the fact that they made the whole trip without realizing there was no actual fuel oil in the engines shows both the incompetence of the builders and crew, but also to the possibility of water compression as a viable form of propulsion

[@drawingboard82]

thanks for this. i was talking to an old marine engineer about these last night.

[@harryolynx]

I like the Dominion Monarch, she was a real fine fast liner. And it is very interesting to hear from gentlemen who knew this ship by own experience. Thanks for your well appreciated comment!

[@spentacle]

Opposed piston engines certainly do exist and work very well. Look up Commer TS3 and Napier Deltic for a start

[@harryolynx]

It's a pleasure for me, to hear from experienced marine engineers, how reliable these fascinating Doxford engines really were in everyday use. Thank you very much for posting!

[@richardjones3712]

I was onboard this vessel while it was docked in Seattle for the 62 world's fair. The top deck would literally bounce due to the diesel's vibration!

[@richardjones3712]

@Charlie K Was it 23 yrs old and headed for the scrap yard as the Dominion Monarch was after the fair?

[@ronaldrussell5481]

Would like to see a working cutaway of that engine.

[@josephpadula2283]

Sun shipyard in the USA built them under license, but I never saw one .

[@harryolynx]

Thanks for watching and kind comment, greetings from Austria!

[@harryolynx]

Thank you very much! I had liked myself, to see such an engine in real action. Unfortunately I know its smoothness and relatively quiet running only from youtube videos.

[@harryolynx]

Hello Jeremy, Thanks for your very personal comment! I like it! Greetings from Austria!

[@Bidone1967]

Nice engine!

[@miltbell1873]

I was almost killed by a 3,300 bhp opposed piston Doxford engine aboard m.v. ARTHUR ALBRIGHT on Dec 31, 1965. While getting underway from Port Boca Grande, Fl.......the scavenging tank exploded on the third try at starting the engine. Ship went totally dead but fortunately a stern line was put out and stopped our forward momentum. Bad day, it was.

[@jimmore1694]

I spent most of my time at sea with NZS Co and Federal Steam. Mostly on their "H" boats which had twin 5 cyl Centre scav. They were beautiful engines. Only problem was water leaks. Scavenge fires were another thing but were easily controlled. Its nice to see one of them again even if it only a scale model

[@johnschofield2818]

Jim: If ever you get to HK, there is a model of a Doxford in the old seaman's mish. Made by the apprentices at a HK works that built them under licence. Sailed on the "Kosmos V " a whale factory built in Sunderland(?) that had two of the 4 legged beasts.

[@LeonidK340]

Why i hear background sound of dm 884ws-150?

[@harryolynx]

You're right! The first time, I've seen this engine, it was absolutely strange for me. After reading the description, I slowly began to understand, how it worked. But sorry, I dont know the Oasis video, you wrote about. Thanks for watching and the interesting feedback!

[@ethanfitton6336]

Can you make the opposite piston engine any faster, its like my nans walking pace.

[@stevenking2980]

Really cool. Love the harpsichord too.

[@johnschofield2818]

Someone mentioned this below. Goes back a bit! :-)) THE DOXFORD SONG Sung to the tune of 'MacNamara's Band' Instructions In the chorus, place two clenched fists in front of the face, vertically one above the other, and at the words Chuff! Chuff! puff them apart to imitate an opposed piston action. At a 'ships party' six females (or anyone) would be numbered 1 to 6 and during the chorus, with hands on heads with elbows sticking out (to immitate the Doxford piston's transverse beam), the "conductor" would get them to bob up and down in the firing order that he called, to replicate the action of the engine! 1. Oh my name is William Doxford and I come from Sunder-land They say my diesel engine is the finest in the land The pistons bang, the cranks go clang and the camshaft grinds away And it's the bestest engine you could hear about today Chorus Dah dah dah dah Chuff! Chuff! Dah dah dah dah Chuff! Chuff! Dah dah dah dah Chuff! Chuff! Dah dah dah dah. Dah dah dah dah Chuff! Chuff! Dah Dah Dah - Dah With action and reaction we'll go sailing on our way. 2. To see our engines functionals we open up a door We find more cranks and crossheads than we've ever seen before And then we pull the pistons out to calibrate the bore And here for us to work on there are piston rings galore Chorus Dah dah dah Chuff! Chuff! etc. 3. We calculate the horsepower by scientific means With bits of string and paper wound on little round machines We measure round the diagrams the power it should tell The outcome's automatic but the engine's aw' ta hell Chorus Dah dah dah etc. (When the song has finished the ladies, exhausted, fall giggling to the floor - and then it's every man for himself!) (Supplied by George Ball)

[@johnwilliamson3228]

John Schofield. I served my apprenticeship as a fitter and Turner at Doxford Engines in Sunderland from 1970, I have never came across this song before, have you any info of its history.

[@Megaptera2007]

Excellent! I travelled from Le Havre to New Guinea in 1983 accompanying some special cargo on the Bank Line Medowbank, propelled by one for these fine machines. Happy memories of some of the engineers (after hours, with copious beers) lined up and singing the "Doxford song". Standing in a row, both hands clasped on heads, lurching up and down in turn in perfect rhythm, singing the song. Forgot the words..

[@jlrliriano]

Fairbanks Morse opposite piston compression system is more appealing to me, I actually got to operate one of them

[@markbeale7390]

No action

[@MegaBoilermaker]

The Doxford was unique among opposed piston designs in as much as it only had one crankshaft and a moving cylinder.

[@markbeale7390]

What moved the cylinder!!!!

[@adamc.sieracki4145]

The Bach on a harpsichord somehow works with this.

[@flyingmerkel6]

Very interesting design. What is the benefit to opposed piston engines?

[@davidboardman8590]

flyingmerkel6 Primary Balance is Zezo

[@jacquesblaque7728]

No cylinder head, cams, valves. Piston average speeds reduction.

[@robertriquelmy7193]

Leave the text on so we can read it please

[@Barnekkid]

Not sure what you mean by "opposite-piston design are only projects." Fairbanks Morse builds them.

[@harryolynx]

Thanks for this info!

[@regsparkes6507]

+Barnekkid Volkswagen , Porsche and Subaru, to name only 3 very popular engine makers of this very design, would disagree with that thought, I think !

[@1MBStudios]

+Reg Sparkes You are thinking of horizontal engines. Subaru engine are not opposed. Opposed means 2 pistons in 1 cylinder that push towards each other x however many cylinders there are. They are also usually 2 stroke

[@Barnekkid]

Reg Sparkes I don't think so.

[@robby844]

That's why they are called ''horizontally opposed''? Damn learn some shit before you talk shit.

[@grahamjones3566]

As an ex-marine engineer, all the trips that I did on motor ships were powered by either 'P' or 'J' type Doxford engines. The ships I served on travelled all over the world and the only time I encountered a problem was when one of the liners cracked on one engine while sailing across the Great Australian Bight. We changed the liner for the spare, which took about 30 hours, going on memory, and sailed round to Newcastle in N.S.W. where to liner crack was repaired and returned to the ship.

[@harryolynx]

Thanks for watching and your comment!

[@RetroWorkShop773]

Good lord, I haven't heard this music since I was a little kid playing Treasure Mountain on my Dad's computer

[@harryolynx]

Thanks for your very interesting comment. I was fascinated by this engine! Unfortunately the science museum's department displaying this model was closed and all the exhibits stored anywhere in the basement without public access. I've found an Internet page (clydesite.co.uk) about the MV Clan Malcolm - 22 years in service and scrapped in 1979. It's a pity that obviously no ship with Doxford engines has survived

[@unom5632]

Miusic please.

[@superiormusic]

Fata Pisica Johan Sebastian Bach - Harpsichord Concerto 1052

[@janvisser2223]

Eeeehhh, Sulzer or Stork👌

[@mountwood2002]

Does anyone remember Harrisons? two of fat one of lean, hungry Harrisons. I joined as a junior Eng. in 1974 £29 per week.

[@Tekwyzard]

Fantastic video, explains quite a lot I saw in this video, of a beautiful pair of these engines kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5yZpIKHgbCoqNE of the Princess Daphne, sadly only being tested to see how fit the ship was for the voyage to beach itself at Alang. They look and sound great doing about 60-70ish rpm towards the end, 125rpm must have been incredible, I hope they really opened her up to give her a last roar in her last moments. Looking at a lot the comments below, explains that it wasn't just my imagination when I thought that this type of engine was really quiet, every clonk, rattle and squeak very audible; in the video I linked, it's a real shame that there's so much intrusive noise from ancillary equipment. Seems criminal to destroy such beautiful machines.

[@richardteale8203]

Thanks for the link, watched it & yes, shame to see these scrapped, but it's a money drain to maintain something that size if it's not touring to make money any more, so off to the recycling it goes & sadly many a good ship has suffered the same fate since the woo-flu shut down international travel!

[@warphonesS22]

Siiiiiick

[@samanli-tw3id]

Looks like a steam engine.