STEAMER, EXPRESS DEVELOPS BOILER TROUBLE

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 October 1948, Page 5

STEAMER, EXPRESS DEVELOPS BOILER TROUBLE

(P.A.) , CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. _ Engine trouble which has been experienced in the Rangatira . during, the past few days probably will navb been remedied by tonight and it is expected that she will bo able to make a normal crossing from Lyttelton to Wellington. The vessel was delayed for about two hours last night at Wellington, and did not berth at Lyttelton .today until 9.20 a.m. Delays occurred off two trips earlier this week .also., ; . y The need for replacing the boiler tubes in the ship’s six boilers was seen by the Union Steam Ship. Cornpany in 1946, and new tubes. weir, ordered then. . These came to lt4nd only a short time ago, and'since th'eh work has been progressing on fitting them.

Because the ship must bo kept on service, new tubes can be fitted to one boiler only at a time. The, tubes in the other boilers have begun , to show signs of age and on several occasions have blown out, necessitating the closing down of the boilers. In calm weather the ship can steam and keep to her time-table on three boilers. Four ard used normally, and in rough weather five are needed, the sixth being kept in reserve.

Four boilers were to have been used on the run to Lyttelton lastnight, but before the ship left the wharf at Wellington, one blew out, and as there was a strong northerly wind outside the Heads, the. master decided to wait until the defect had been remedied.