Fig. 4.
Agricultural, 8ft. 2in. long, 3ft. 6in. diameter in the barrel, 5-16ths inch plates, internal fire box, 2ft. 4in. wide, 2ft. 4in. high, and 2ft. 10in. deep. From the back of this fire box, two 12-inch tubes passed to an internal chamber at the back of the barrel. From this again passed nine 3¾ inch tubes to an exterior smoke-box fixed over the fire door. The boiler was fitted with one spring safety valve, which was screwed down tight, but there was no pressure gauge. The front plate was intended to be bolted on so that the fire-box and tubes could be taken out for cleaning, but it had been rivetted, leaving no means of cleaning, and it was nearly full of scurf.
The crown plate of fire-box which was too flat and unstrengthened, rent at the front and along both top edges, and was driven into the fire. The boiler was thrown backwards and reared against a wall, resting on the front right hand corner.
The cause of the explosion was that the very dirty state, caused overheating where the water was not in proper contact with the plates, and the defective construction did not admit of proper cleaning. The mountings were insufficient for the proper protection of the boiler.
No.8. Durham. ([Fig. 5.])
January 29th.
1 killed, 3 injured.
Fig. 5.