Marine Engineering
- Location
- Ground Floor
- Suggested duration
- 15 mins
- Open
- Permanent
- Cost
- Free
- More things about
- Engineering, Transport
From the earliest days of steam through to the internal-combustion engine and gas turbine, the Marine Engineering gallery traces the often complex and fascinating history of marine propulsion.
Dozens of working models reveal the steady evolution of steam power, from the low-pressure engines of the paddle-wheeled river steamers to the mighty triple-expansion engines of the great ocean-going liners.
Highlights include the oldest surviving marine engine (designed by William Symington) and the original engines from the revolutionary Turbinia, which proved the superiority of steam-turbine power.
Wall cases display a wide variety of paddle wheels and propellers, including a paddle wheel modelled on a duck's foot!
As well as working engine models, you’ll find interactive exhibits which demonstrate the operation of automatic hydraulic stabilisers and steam-powered steering mechanisms. The evolution of the marine boiler is also described with the aid of models.
A small but significant collection belonging to William Froude, a pioneer in the science of naval engineering, is on display, including his device for converting 2D ship plans into 3D wax models. Elsewhere you’ll find an entire case devoted to the revolution in cargo handling that began in the 1960s.
