My blogger pals, Val and Mel, expressed an interest in our engine. So here it is in all its glory. It is a reconditioned Slanzi engine, 42hp, air cooled, Italian made and was installed by the film company that hired the barge, along with the rudder and helm. Apparently it only had clocked up 100 hours, but we cannot confirm that. All we know is that everytime Pete goes to start it up, it always jumps in to action immediately. When Pete sailed the barge down from Ipswich to Tollesbury the engine performed beautifully, though Billy spent the whole trip in the engine room to ensure it ran smoothly (mind you it was the warmest place on the barge in early November, so he wasn't daft volunteering for that job). I am hoping that Mel can add some more technical details now he has seen it. The engine room is actually quite large and the engine looks a little lost in the middle, but there is plenty of room for Pete to store more of his stuff.
I dropped in that little bit about the film company and I ought to explain. Before we bought it and mucked around with the barge, it was hired by a film company to use in a film called 'Young Adam' starring Ewan Mcgregor and Tilda Swinton. The film was a 'film noir' based around life on a working barge. It was a very dark and intense film but there are some good shots of Ewan's bottom! Of course we had to buy the DVD because it starred our barge, but I can't say it is the best film I have ever seen.
Hi Fran,
ReplyDeleteWell, you don't live with a movie star, you live on one. Very interesting post. Now, I do not pretend to know anything about motors, but from a female view, "it sure is a pretty color".
Keep Smiling.
Connie :)
Slanzi were engine makers and their engines were used in all sorts of environs, including tractors and known to be noisy especially the 2 cylinder ones. The company was bought out by Lombardini sometime ago.
ReplyDeleteLarge engine rooms are an advantage for air cooled engines, so beware of treating it like a junk room & putting too many odds & ends in there ok ?
Connie - like your thinking, I think I am infamous in my own right round here!!! And yes the engine us a lovely colour ;) xxxx
ReplyDeleteMel - I knew that you would know more than us! Pete agrees that the engine is quite noisy and said thanks for the tip about the clutter. Mind you he mentioned that he would now have to get rid of some of my stuff to make room for his on the barge, so thanks a lot Mel! Xxx
Ooh - a famous barge!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing a picture of the colour you finally decide on : )
Jo - shhh - we don't want the barge to get ideas above its station - it will start thinking it's the Titanic!! Xxx
ReplyDeleteWell you can always store your stuff ashore in your allotment's shed :) ?
ReplyDeleteThanks Mel - I won't tell Pete that! X
ReplyDeleteHi Fran !
ReplyDeleteO la la..... A moviestar !
Found it on the Tube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOe-xGAbdeo
Already downloaded it, will see it later. Slanzi are good Engines
I would make 2 good ventilators to the enginrome; 1 in and 1 out with a good fan on this.
How exciting, living on a movie star. It seems to be such a small engine to move such a big barge, but I know that once something gets going on the water it doesn't take much to keep it going. - Margy
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