Locomotive Boilers by Alan Haigh

The Design, Construction and Working of Locomotive Boilers

by Alan Haigh

Xpress Publishing, UK, 2010, ISBN 978-1-901056-39-6, 112 pages 297 x 210mm.

Alan Haigh began an apprenticeship in 1954 with Robert Hudson Ltd, a manufacturer of railway rollingstock and mining equipment.  In 1962, following national service in the RAF, he joined the Wakefield boilermaking firm of Spurr, Inman & Co. Ltd.  When Spurr closed in 1971, he transferred to Greens Economisers which later became Senior Greens.

In a design career spanning 38 years, Alan has designed hundreds of boilers of all types and sizes, including marine boilers for cruise liners and warships.

Alan has always had an interest in locomotive boilers and wrote this book in order to share his knowledge with others who wish to become involved in their design.

The book’s 112 pages include 9 chapters and over 100 technical line drawings.  Its chapters cover the following topics:
  1. The Working and Construction of the Steam Locomotive Boiler;
  2. Thermal Design;
  3. Mechanical Design (welded);
  4. Boiler valves, connections and accessories;
  5. The welded LNER 100A boiler;
  6. Locomotive Boiler Performance;
  7. History of Boiler Development;
  8. Additional Technical Information;
  9. Development of Modern Locomotive Boilers.

Almost every type of locomotive boiler is described including the vertical Sentinel boiler and even Bulleid’s Leader boiler.  So too, almost every boiler fitting is described.

Methodology for the design of both rivetted and welded construction is covered based largely on BS 2790, the British Standard for locomotive boilers.  However, since all references to locomotive boilers waa removed from the 1989 edition of the Standard, Alan has based his design rules on the 1969/1973 editions (with some later updates).

Of particular interest is Alan’s recommendations for the use of watertube fireboxes in new-build locomotives and his arrangement drawings that illustrate his concepts.