I thought I'd start a thread on my experiences in the machinery spaces of the QE2. Other members should feel free to add theirs also.
There were several jobs that the Asst Mechs used to have to do which involved working in a lot of heat. Among these were 'swinging the valves' (opening or closing the large steam valves) which fed superheated steam from the boilers to the turbines. Boiler cleaning, which entailed donning waterproof suits, heavy gloves and goggles for eye protection. Force Draught (FD) Fan cleaning, a messy dirty job using a high pressure water jet to blast the fan blades clean.
Standard working gear was a pair of bright orange overalls worn over just a pair of underpants (anything else would be too hot to wear), steel toe-capped boots, ear muffs and finally a pair of chrome leather gloves.
Swinging the valves in the boiler room was particularly hot work, the physical exertion required sometimes making this quite an arduous task. The metal stud fasteners on your overalls would burn your skin, sweat would run into your eyes making them sting, the steel toe-capped boots would make your feet sweat profusely. You also had to be aware of the very hot air that would scorch your sinuses if you inhaled directly over a very very hot valve.
The 'valve gang' would make frequent dashes to the water fountain situated at the fwd end of the boiler room floor and salt tablets were available to replace lost salt through excess sweat loss. Some of the valves would be quite stiff to turn and the use of a "wheel key' would be necessary to open/close the valves. The whole sequence of opening or closing valves would be overseen by the Engineering Officer on watch but the more experienced of us knew which valves to open in the proper sequence. The last three big valves to be opened would be the 'bulkhead stops'. These were massive steam valves which fed the superheated steam from the boiler room through (the bulkhead) to the engine room proper in which the Pamatrada turbines were situated. These would be opened in stages, firstly just 'cracking open' then opening with an eighth of a turn for one full rotation, then quarter turns, half turns and so on until they were fully open. After the job was done, it would have been a common sight for the valve gang to be seen either lying or sitting totally exhausted on the floor of 6 deck, overalls soaked in sweat, smoking cigarettes and sipping cups of water.
More later. Rich Drayson.
