NEW CARGO STEAMER
OFFICIAL SEA TRIALS OF THE S.S. HARPERLY
Northern Daily Mail. 26/7/30
The steamer Harperley, built by Messrs. William Gray and Co., Ltd., West Hartlepool to the order of The National Steamship Co., Ltd., London (Messrs. J. and C. Harrison, Ltd., managers), successfully ran her official sea trials on Friday.
The vessel is built to the highest class in Lloyd’s Register and is of the following dimensions: - Length overall, 413ft 6in, breadth, 54ft 6in, depth moulded to the upper deck, 27ft 3 ½in., with long bridge, poop, and forecastle.
Constructed on the cellular double bottom principle, with fore and after peaks for water ballast, the framing being of the deep bulb-angle type, she has six watertight bulkheads, together with a steel centre line bulkhead and wood shifting boards dividing the holds for grain carrying.
Spacious accommodation for the officers is arranged in a steel house amidships. The engineers are berthed in steel houses alongside the casing and the crew in the poop with separate mess rooms.
Ten 7in. x 12in. steam winches are provided to work ten derricks, and a 7in x 12in. warping winch is fitted on the poop. A direct acting steam windlass forward and steam steering gear amidships are also fitted.
MACHINERY
The Harperley is complete in all respects as a first-class cargo steamer, her equipment including an efficient Wireless Installation, and electric light throughout.
The propelling machinery, supplied by the Central Marine Engineering Works of the builders, consists of triple-expansion engines, having cylinders 25in., 41in., 68in. diameter by 45in. stroke and two main boilers and one auxiliary boiler, all natural draught, working at a pressure of 180lbs. per square inch.
A number of auxiliaries of the “C.M.E.W.” type are also fitted including pair of independent feed pumps, high pressure feed water heater, auxiliary condenser, circulating pump, singlex harbour feed pump, evaporator, duplex general service, and ballast pumps, and drain and scumming tank.
The owners were represented by Mr. F.G. Neil (under whose superintendence the ship and machinery have been constructed).