As a 16 year old apprentice electrician in Alexander Stevens Shipyard in Linthouse, Govan, I spent many days working on the, almost new, SS Shieldhall. Her berth where she loaded sludge was in the shipyard alongside new building ships. I helped fit boat overside lights which at the time were a new requirement and although I was an electrical apprentice I spent as many hours in the engine room as possible working out how the reversing eccentrics worked. I had a strong urge to be a mechanical engineer and finally my dream came true when I went to sea in 1956 as a 20 year old 7th engineer/electrician with the BP Clyde Tanker Company. How happy I was to come across this You Tube video. Finally at nearly 83 how I wish I could once more stand in that beautiful little engine room and wonder at the magnificence of these twin triple expansion engines.

This guy is very clear about the operations of the ship's engine room and I understood most of the operations

Great video! Sadly the era of steam propulsion is gone. I had the privilege of taking a trip on a Great Lakes self unloading ore ship that was also powered by a triple expansion steam engine. Went from Detroit to Roger City to pick up a load of limestone when I was a boy. My dad was a Merchant Marine Engineer for most of his life. That trip changed my life!

Give this man a medal for the knowledge and speaking skills he possesses!

Anyone wishing to make an instructional video for the general public should learn a lesson from this. Brilliant!

Want to thank you so much for maintaining her. Bravo Zulu from a US Navy steam plant operator.

Wow, they really did think of everything. Just when I had a steam plant question, it was answered. Brilliant.

Thank god for people that can still run these amazing old vessels as a living testament to the ingenuity of our forbears.

I really appreciate visiting Steamship Shieldhall for the first time. Everything on the ship is very well maintained. I congratulate the whole Team and in particular for the attentive explanation of the Engine Room Team - for the work carried out with mastery in the so finely tuned orchestra of gears from the 1800's - which is still in full swing and available for visitation to the general public!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

As an ex marine engineer I thoroughly enjoyed that. Thank you

The discussion of the ships hull was riveting

A KZfaq gem. Thank you to those people who have preserved this ship.

So much of our heritage has been lost but such a fine example as this helps fill the hole. Thank you all for keeping the lovely steamship alive.

Thank you for the memories! Shovelled coal in a Puffer (Auld Reekie) back in '88, from Campbeltown to the Glasgow Garden Festival, and later through the Crinan Canal. Great experiences, both of them. Loved the engine on her, it was a double expansion but much the same. The Waverley, I remember, left us standing...

I never realised triple expansion engines were being fitted into new ships as late as 1955. Brilliant video.

Excellent vid , happy memories of doing my spell in the engine room on Shieldhall . It was so good to come up on deck , after a 2 hour watch . And when the cruise ended , enjoy a good sleep in the stern crew berth . Best wishes .

From California thank you for making such a lovely documentary . Great to see a beautiful ship like this is in. Such good hands and how it works

An incredible documentary of how to maintain an old triple expansion steam piston engine powered ship! I would like to visit this vessel some day and would like to thank the many volunteers that work hard to preserve this vessel! A real working and living vintage machinery!

I am exciting to see passionate people that preserve their culture! Greetings from Greece!

Thank you very much keeping steam alive...

Outstanding, riveting, and incredibly informative. Not enough can be said about the care and quality of the documentary you've made. Wow!

Thank you,It takes me back when I used to go to the Isle of Man with my Dad,Manx Maid I think the ship was called,I went on the bridge and the captain let me put it to full ahead when I was 10 years of age, Many thanks again. :)

Michell thrust block, I have worked for them 28 years company still going strong, class film 10/10

A POX on any of the NAYSAYERS, this is a GREAT VIDEO. Thank heavens we still have such dedicated men to keep this history of steam ships alive. Well done to each and everyone who made this possible

I worked on many steamships in the US Navy running Babcock & Wilcox 600 pounders and Foster Wheeler 1200 pounders , and then when I left the Navy I went in the Merchant Marine and then ran diesel engines, Sulzer, Alco EMD's Delaval, Etc. I love Steam. Thank you for posting this.

Thanks so much Bryan, you explained it real well! It's a lot of hot work, in the hole. I worked as assistant and chief for about 12 yrs.on diesel engine ships, up to 7000 hp.I held a Designated Duty Engineering Lic. which is really only good for vessels up to 500 tons, and unlimited H.P.,all oceans.It's a USCG license that came out in the 90's for the increase in ships this size.I started on gaming ships out of Port Canaveral,Fl.,in 1990. I'm retired now, after 47 yrs. of diesel engines and the related machinery.Now I can sit back with my computer and happily watch the world pass by.You and your black gang made my day, and Bryan, Happy Motoring!

Very interesting to see, my forefathers were involved in British maritime endeavour in the Mediterranean, especially in maintenance. Brings back memories when I was an apprentice in the Malta Dockyards. Thank you.

There is nothing better then seen all these beautiful people keeping history alive ! We thank you from the bottom of our harts for that !

Still being enjoyed Dec 2020. Thank you everyone. David and Lily. Reading.

In the war films I grew up with there was none of this getting boilers warm etc they just raced away from wherever they happened to be. Really enjoyed it, thanks to all you volunteers.

Loved this video. brings back memories of time spent in engine room THE MERCHANT NAVY

Brilliant! So good to see a ship of that era with triple expansion power, riveted hull. Old school, but all the better for that.

This brings back memories of watching the Shieldhall sailing down from Glasgow towards the dumping grounds further down the Firth of Clyde. She was known as one of the cleanest vessels and regularly carried Glasgow pensioners on outings. Excellent video - maybe a similar one could be done by the folks operating the PS Waverley.

Thank you for the trip with the venerable old lady and her crew.

This old Clydesider thoroughly enjoyed this film, thank you.

👍 that introduction gave a perspective on the shipping industry today and yesterday

What a wonderful living, breathing piece of history. I envy you your job sir.

This is one of the coolest videos I've ever seen.

Great to see it. It reminds me of my days in the 1980s in the engine room of the W.C. Daldy Tug. The W.C.D. had a very similar Engine room and layout. BUT it doesn't have an diesel oil warmer. I have served in both in the E.R. and on deck. Oh remember the smell of the Steam tug. I hope you can keep it going for years to come. Cheers. Steve M.

Steamships, so very different from the aux.boilers now, thank you for the long video. That steam driven sector steering gear is something else.

Great job on the video. Thank you so much. 3 days heating to take her out. That is extreme dedication to her and her legacy. Carry on and godspeed.

Well done, Brian. Superb stuff. I'm grateful that there are people such as yourselves keeping history living today. Thank.

Shieldhall used to take pensioners from the Glasgow area on day trips down the Clyde Estuary to near the Ailsa Craig where the cargo would be discharged. Shieldhall is a district of Glasgow. As an ex steamship Engineer it was good to see the Engineroom routines again. Good film with excellent explanations.

This video reminded of the time I joined the Merchant Marine as a Junior Engineering Officer on a vessel fitted with a single Triple Expansion Steam engine with HP Poppet Valves. The year was 1964. I retired in the year 2000 after acquiring my Chief Engineers Combined (Steam and Motor) Competency Certificate. Personally I think this was the most exciting career a person could have. A great video, and for me a very nostalgic one as well. Keep up the good work.

I loved that film. I have seen out and about many a time aboard my own boat. Thank you for sharing.

Fantastic effort all round saving this old girl from the breakers yard, and putting her back into service as a pleasure cruiser on the Solent and other waterways within its operating area. I really enjoyed this, thanks so much for posting and along with historic aeroplanes restorations I now have historic ship restorations and operations to watch. Cheers from Australia.

Thank you so much for the wonderful tour!

Fascinating, took me back 50 years to my days at sea.

My Dad, Tommy Myers, worked on the engine build when he was an apprentice. He is 86 now.

Reminds me so much of my training and early days in the RN; still amazes me how much room you chaps have to work in though. Subs tend to a little more cramped. Very well made video, sadly I can only give 1 'Like/Thumbs-up'.

Thank you for all your hard work in maintaining this lovely old Lady and showing the elements that go into getting ready to sail.

Engineer thank you for your Brilliant guide on what happens below deck in the Heart of ship out of sight to the public..when ever I visit any ship of size im always drawn to the engine room.amazing .

Watching this docu while helping my uncle finish his thesis about ship engine. Thanks for the vid!

Such a super documentary. Thank you too!

I can't thank enough the people who went through the trouble of making this video. The video is far more informative than any History or discover channel would ever do. Needless to say I love ships and this has answered a lot of my long awaited questions, though I do have a hundred more to ask. Thanks again!

Absolutely lovely video. Marvellous that it has been saved. I dread to think what working in an engine room must have been like during wartime !.

good video, thanks for taking the time to show all the operations necessary to run the ship

Really great Video I spent 15 years as a merchant mariner and it is so cool to watch any history on how things used to be done ,I always loved working with older engineers you can learn so much fro them thanks for sharing this video .

Thoroughly enjoyed this! I'm taking the steam school onboard the 1942 Liberty Ship, John W. Brown in Baltimore.

Absolutely wonderful!! Incredible ship. Incredible video tour. Incredible crew! Amazing how the machinery and the human beings running it create this amazing symphony that moves the Shieldhall with seeming ease for her passengers and anyone looking at her steaming away. Blown away by the knowledge and professionalism involved in keeping this wonderful old girl from another time steaming in the 21st century. A true window into the past and what it took to operate a steam vessel at sea. Thank you so much for this video and for keeping out maritime history alive.

Those who man the boilers are the real unsung heroes on board any ship. Thank you.

An amazing video. Thank you!

Outstanding work and I look forwards to more,thanks to you and all the volunteers involved.

Utterly fascinating and enjoyable video movie. The complexity of this old steam powered ship is staggering. Thank you for this wonderful, vicarious journey.

Absolutely wonderful. A treasure for anyone interested in marine steam propulsion. I will re-watch this many times!! Thank you!!

Thank you so much for showing us this amazing ship!

Fantastic video! It was a pleasure to watch. Thank you for taking us along on this trip.

Such a wonderful ship... Also thank you for the red arrows and the fireworks. Subscription added, I love that ship

Absolutely brilliant. Extremely knowledgeable engineer. Best video in a long time. Thank you.

Well done, excellent production, with a surprise ending of the Red Arrows and fireworks!

Superb film Alex, thank youfor it. What a maginificient ship Ss Shieldhall is. Long may she sail, certainly longer then ssbn boats powered by steam! (Ex RN Dolphineer)....

beautiful documentary of this super steamship via KZfaq 👍👍🌞

This one of the best videos I have watched in a long time. So much knowledge was imparted. Another video would be nice of the workings of the bridge gear.

Well done, Chief! In my time, the only steam recips were the Stripping Pumps and the 2 pump room bilge pumps. Electric pumps may be more efficient , but no where near as satisfying.

Well put together video. Thanks for taking the time to make and publish it here on KZfaq for all to see and enjoy! Anything "steam" is wonderful to see, hear, and to experience.

A wonderful documentary-! I enjoy all things mechanical and the bigger the better - watching the whole ships crew work together is truly a treat.

I started my apprenticeship in ship repair in 1967 and I only got to work on one steam up and downer, this video was very well presented and gave an excellent insight into the workings of an old steamship well done to all involved, I so wanted to throw my boiler suit on and head down to the engine room I wish there were more similar videos of this quality.

This is the best video of the workings of the old steam engines as I remember them,must take a trip when back in the U.K.

Well done. From a feller with 50 years on the Gulf of Alaska, the Bering Sea, and Arctic Ocean.

Fascinating. So complex an operation. Great video! Thanks!

Brilliant I’ll come for a ride one day with my best mate and my son, wonderful ship and fantastic tour thankyou 😊👍

Excellent video. Thank you for showing this

Outstanding! You Britts are marvelous in preserving machinery history and I am envious.

Great to watch and nicely explained, a wonderful working museum piece. Well done all for keeping her in steam. Very enjoyable.

Thank you very much for uploading the video brought back many memories of my father he was a stoker petty officer RN working on HMS Barhill a salvage ship it had the same engine and was coal fired!!!!!

This was very enjoyable. I was a machinist mate in the US Navy during and after Vietnam Nam. Old stuff has always interested me, This video was very enjoyable. Thankyou for making it.

The sound of Willy answering telegraphs and moving to slow ahead is the start up noise to the sound system on my model steam tug! Really well made film.

As a teenager in the 1970s I spent time aboard the ex HMS Neave an 'Isles' class Admiralty trawler , renamed as the Tulipbank and working as a cleaning ship for oil tankers out of Hartlepool. It was being refitted and my dad was working as the engineer in charge. It had the same machinery as the Shieldhall but only half of it as it was a single screw ship. Another difference was an auxiliary vertical water tube boiler that could have enough steam for all the auxiliaries and turbine alternator in just a couple of hours.

Thank you Mr. Girling for this excellent documentary video, which as you brought it to a close seems to have brought tears to my eyes, for some mysterious reason. Thanks and best wishes also to Paul, Allen, Tony, Willy, Andy, Peter, and the others who make _Shieldhall_ work. Perhaps I'll one day be lucky enough to see her in person.

Brilliant they even had a Decca Transar Radar with true motion? on the bridge . It really made my evening watching it thanks Mike

Thanks, Chief! All my time was with diesels, but the triple X recip steamers are still fascinating for me. :-)

Thank you for this excellent documentary!

An absolutely wonderful video! Thanks for sharing!

thanks for taking the time to make this vid... i was a bt in the navy and it brought back a lot of mem

This was great. Thank you for posting.

takes me back many years as an MTP (marine technical propulsion) sailor on HMAS Vampire a Daring class destroyer in the 70s she ran Foster Wheeler Twin Furnace Boilers through English electric turbines and could push the old girl through the water at 30 knots at full noise she was 3500 tons i was on her for 2 and a half years> Thanks for the memories.

I really enjoyed this. Thanks for posting.

has to be one of the coolest videos ive watched thank you for posting it

Great video. I'm always amazed at the amazing engineering that goes into the design of steam ships.