When The Mary Gordon was built in 1898, electrical technology was in its infancy, but growing fast! As a demonstration of how The Mary Gordon was advanced for its time. Michael Faraday, who had first demonstrated the principles of electromagnetism, 'retired' from the Royal Institution in 1865 after over 50 years of service. He died at his house at Hampton Court on 25th August 1867.
The Institution of Electrical Engineers had been founded in 1871 as the Society of Telegraph Engineers and was, by 1898, becoming involved in more powerful applications of electricity such as transport, electric trams and railways.
Reflecting the technology of that time, The Mary Gordon's original 'step' controller was basically that of an electric tram or locomotive, a technology that was developing rapidly at the time. One of the first electric underground lines in London, the Waterloo and City, was opened in that same year 1898, on 8th August.
The dc motors in use were large and heavy compared with the amount of power they provided to The Mary Gordon's propeller. The batteries were traction batteries; bigger than car batteries which are mainly only used for starting purposes, but smaller than, at the other extreme, submarine batteries which had to have enough power to drive a submarine while it was submerged. The batteries were positioned in the keel of the boat and arranged under the seats down either side, their weight adding to the boat's stability.
The Mary Gordon Trust is planning to refurbish The Mary Gordon as near as possible to its original specification. Two aspects in which the electric launch will differ will be first of all in terms of compliance with all modern Health and Safety Requirements, and secondly in terms of taking advantage of the latest in electrical technology.
Instead of the heavy dc motors, the launch will be fitted out with a lightweight motor, which has a much more efficient power/weight ratio. The control system will be a modern solid state electronic system offering much finer control throughout the operating range and enable more efficient use of the batteries. Interestingly enough, the construction of the lead acid batteries has not changed substantially since then, albeit the power/weight/life ratios are a bit better. The liquid acid is replaced by a safer gel and they can thus be sealed for life and do not need topping up. An onboard gas-engine generator might be fitted for emergency charging of the batteries if moored remote from a charging point The Mary Gordon will have a traditional spoked wheel, as originally fitted, though there is the possibility nowadays of controlling speed and direction by using a miniature joystick as used on the bridge of modern ships and offshore oil platforms!
Electric propulsion is coming more and more to the fore as a reaction to concern over the environment, especially in motorcars combining petrol engines with electric propulsion. Recommended reading is The Electric Boat News which features news of waterborne applications of which The Mary Gordon was, and will be, typical.
| More information | | from the main Mary Gordon website. |
| This page was written byAnthony Johns and is part of the new Mary Gordon Website designed by Heather Hobden | The Cosmic Elk  |