Plain Cylinder Boiler with hemispherical ends, 30ft. long and 6ft. diameter, 3/8 inch plates, 30 lbs. It was the second from the engine in a bed of five, and had been at work three years, then remained idle for eight years, working again fourteen years. The boiler was mounted with two safety valves 3-7/8 and 4 inches diameter, a float and alarm whistle. The boiler had been more than once repaired over the fire with several new plates. One seam over the fire had been observed to leak about a week before the explosion, but not seriously, and had been caulked. The boiler had just been started after cleaning. Six months before explosion, the boiler had been tested to 69 lbs.
About 5 feet of the front end of the boiler opened out flat, and was thrown to the rear about 60 yards; the front hemispherical end was liberated and thrown 20 yards also to the rear and right hand. The back part of the boiler was thrown in a mass, and after bounding twice, lodged at a distance of 230 yards.
The cause of the explosion appeared to be from the failure of a seam over the fire place in a plate deteriorated by age, and overheated through a deposit of scurf and mud.
No.9. Birmingham. ([Fig. 6.])
February 7th.
1 killed, 4 injured.
Fig. 6.
Plain Cylindrical Boiler, with hemispherical ends, 23ft. long, and 5ft. diameter, 3/8 inch plates, 50 lbs. It was set so as to be fired under the bottom if required, but the grate was seldom used. The principal heat was supplied from a mill furnace, the neck of which was at the left hand of the back, and the flame was carried by a wheel flue round the front of the boiler to the stack on the right hand side of the back. The boiler was fitted with a 4¾-inch safety valve, and also a float, but it was suspected that the latter had broken from the rod.