chrisd wrote:If, as is clearly demonstrated, Howsmynwerke have the capability to build triplex marine steam engines then their machining capability is well up to the manufacture of a "Diesel" engine such as the Doxford.
These engines ran so slowly as not to need reduction gearboxes and also reversed directly making them eminently suitable for marine propulsion.
Try this link:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKWOi0C-sak
In the final days the Doxford Engine Works actually got their development of the 76J4 engine to run on coal dust once warmed up on oil fuel, getting back to Dr Diesel's original ideas for an Infernal Combustion Engine.
unfortunately British politics caused the premature closure of Doxfords due to an unholy combination of European interference and industry infighting.
The logical extension of the triple expansion marine engines would be building a Shay type rail engine, with a shaft drive to the bogies (and possibly a limited slip differential to reduce rail wear on tight tracks) - the engines themselves could be common between the small ships and rail engines. The major advantage of a piston steam engine, maximum torque at zero speed, makes its use on land really useful for load hauling. The ability to burn wood would be useful, as carrying fuel long distances becomes unnecessary as well making living off the land possible in all but desert environments. Caterpillar tracked steam powered artillery tractors would permit the use of quite large towed guns (although a dragon might be possible too).
Steam powered trucks were common until the 1930's, Foden and Sentinel Steam Wagons being some of the larger brands, they would have been brought in earlier in England but the horsey set managed to get their use restricted (and required a man with a red flag walking ahead of them, restricting their maximum speed).
The major problem with a steam engine system is that it is inherently heavier than an equivalent diesel or petrol engine because of the weight of the boiler and water content (but this can be minimized to a certain extent). The advantages of steam is the ability to swallow poor and variable quality fuels and keep on working reliably (if not optimally) - useful in underdeveloped areas.
The advantage over animal haulage is speed (particularly over long periods) and the ability to shrug off small arms fire (a medium pressure boiler will be impervious to small arms fire due to the thickness of the boiler drum), dead horses are much harder to get running again than a shot up steam engine.
As for armored vehicles, you could start with H.G.Wells Land Ironclads - eminently suitable for steam power.
