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Canadian Vickers Ltd. Triple Expansion Steam Engine

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Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday
Address
1867 St Laurent Blvd, Ottawa, ON
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Canadian Vickers Ltd. Triple Expansion Steam Engine

Canadian Vickers Ltd. Triple Expansion Steam Engine

Current location:

Collection Storage Facility

Provenance:

This triple-expansion steam engine powered the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) C.P. Edwards from 1946 to 1974. The Coast Guard decommissioned the ship in 1974, scrapping it two years later. The Museum purchased the engine from Marine Transport and Engineering in 1976. Starting in 2005, the engine was the focus of a major two-year restoration project. It was dismantled to repair and clean each piece. Missing and broken pieces were replaced before the engine was reassembled. Now on display, the engine is carefully oiled each day to keep it in working order.

Technical history:

The triple-expansion steam engine is an improvement on the simple- or single-expansion steam engine, which used steam only once before expelling it, leading to a cycle of heating and cooling of the cylinder with every stroke. In the triple-expansion engine, the steam is channelled into two additional cylinders as it expands and cools, making the cycle much more efficient.

In 1881, Scottish marine engineers installed the first triple-expansion steam engine in the ship Aberdeen. From then until after the Second World War, shipbuilders used these engines to propel many of their larger vessels. The C.P. Edwards was one of the last generation of ships to use the triple-expansion steam engine.

History:

This 15-ton steam engine powered the CCGS C.P. Edwards from 1946 to 1976. Built by Collingwood Shipyards, the C.P. Edwards was intended as a military supply ship for service in the South China Sea during the Second World War. Though never used in war, the Canadian government put the C.P. Edwards and its engine to good use as a lighthouse and buoy tender. Because Canada has the longest coastline in the world and depends on maritime trade for its prosperity, the government has to maintain a large network of aids to navigation to ensure safe transit of ships in and out of Canadian harbours. The C.P. Edwards was one of many Coast Guard ships used to service those aids to navigation.

CSTMC/SMSTC 1976.0343

CSTMC/SMSTC 1976.0343

SCITECH
Canada Science and Technology Museum
Artifact No.
1976.0343
Manufacturer
Canadian Vickers Ltd.
Manufacturer Location
Montreal, Quebec
Manufacture Date
1945
Acquisition Date
1976
  • View all the collection highlights at the Canada Science and Technology Museum
  • View other collection highlights related to Engineering & Technology, Marine Transportation

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About Canada Science and Technology Museum

Canada Science and Technology Museum
The Canada Science and Technology Museum tells Canada's innovation story in an immersive, educational, and fun way.
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Contact Us

Canada Science and Technology Museum
1867 St Laurent Blvd
Ottawa ON K1G 5A3
Canada

613-991-3044
1-866-442-4416
contact@IngeniumCanada.org
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  • Plan Your Visit
    • Health and Safety
    • Hours
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    • Browse All Visitor Information
    • Buy Tickets
    • Online Resources for Science at Home
    • About the Museum
  • What's On at the Museum
    • Events
    • Exhibitions
    • Spaces and Studios
  • Bookings and Rentals
    • School Programs
    • Birthday Parties
    • Summer Camps
    • Venue Rentals
    • Travelling Exhibitions
    • Virtual Field Trips
    • Group Visits
  • Educational Programs
    • School Programs
    • Virtual Field Trips
    • Program Location
      • At the Museum
      • At Your School
      • Online
      • Browse all Educational Programs
    • Popular Links
      • 3D Educational Resources
      • Digital Learning Kits
      • Games and Apps
      • Online Resources for Science at Home
      • Tell Me About
      • Try This Out
  • Collection and Research
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    • Research Projects
    • Collection Resources
      • Ingenium Collection
      • Collection Highlights
      • Conservation and Collection Services
    • Library and Archives
      • Library and Archives Services
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