[SEL] Thomassen K1 Engine Start-Up & Running

[Listerdiesel]

Just before Nuenen, we had a very nice visit to the engine collection
of Johan Rolloos, based at Hardinexveld-Giessingen in the Netherlands.
We were also very lucky to have the big Thomassen K1 engine started
and run specially for us, something that was a real privilege to
watch.

Johan has a collection of what we would describe as 'large' engines,
most of which are kept in running order and transported to shows like
Nuenen where they are run by Johan and his erstwhile assistant, Daryl
Beardmore.

The K1 is 28 tonnes weight, and for obvious reasons is not the sort of
thing that you just crank over and off it goes. It has to have a large
supply of compressed air for starting, and has to be barred round to a
starting position before you can try to start it up.

It runs on petrol vapour, but leaves a residue in the mixer afterwards
which is virtually unusable as fuel, the engine having taken all the
lighter elements from the fuel on the suction stroke.

It has two magnetos and two plugs, it originally ran on town gas (coal
gas) to give 100+ hp at 170rpm, not a speed that is possible on a
mobile engine!  It is run at about 48rpm for show purposes.

The video I took is in two parts, and is not all of the start-up
sequence. I edited out a bit of it.

The guy with the shirt and braces is Johan, the other guy is Daryl.
Both exceptionally involved with engines as you can see from the
Thomassen, which was restored after being outdoors for 40 years, in
one year, all their own work.

The video is about 10 minutes long, look at the very end when there is
a slow sweep over the workshop for a few frames.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g796jbed20&feature=youtu.be[/url]

Peter
-- 
Peter A Forbes
Email: listerdiesel at gmail.com
http://www.oldengine.org/members/diesel
http://stationary-engine.co.uk
http://www.oldengine.co.uk