Today's Boats

John Burns and Ernest Bevin in mid stream. 
There are two engines per boat each being pressure-charged Mirrlees-Blackstone. They are six cylinder turbo-intercooled diesel, rated at 500 bhp at 600 rpm. The engines tick over at 400 rpm. The intercooler is only necessary for tropical use and is not needed for London!!!
v/s unit
The Voith Schneider (V/S) units are cycloidal propellers, there is one at each end of the boats, and have the advantage of enabling the boats to approach the terminals end on whatever the tide. The V/S units are geared down to 90 rpm. 

The V/S (Voith Schneider ) unit is what both propels the boat through the water and is also used for manoeuvring the boats more easily in the tidal waters of the Thames. There is one at each end of the boat and, they give the boat the ability to go in either direction and turn in their own length. They can also move sideways, or spin, just by altering the angle of the blades. 




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