A Burmese 10
Most readers will remember the film '10', with its use of Ravel's rhythmic Bolero music. If I, too, was to look for my 10s in Burma then the rice mill at Dakhondaing would get a top score. However, if I were assessing just the engine, it would not rate so highly as it has only a standard Tangye type. What then would I look for in my perfect engine?
Age
Some degree of provenance
Rarity
Condition
Environment
I believe the engine we found at Khanaungyenk in the north of Irrawaddy Division most nearly meets these criteria.
Old? Undoubtedly, these engines with slipper/sleeves are the oldest type seen in the country.
According to the mill owner, it came here 'about 50 years ago', knowing what I have heard elsewhere, I guess it came second hand from the UK rather than coming to Burma as new, by and large, small engine makers did not have the resources to get into the export market.
This engine is the only one we have seen by this maker, the casting of 'T. Dryden, Maker, Preston' is crude and simple, marking the engine out as one of a small number.
The condition of the engine is excellent, it is clean and has minimal leaking steam. The environment speaks for itself, a classic wooden building with an old portable/traction engine boiler behind, the single mill engineer fussing around his charge and keeping everything 'ship shape'. Now enjoy the pictures...
There is more like this in:
Temples of Steam 2007 - An update to our 2005 and 2006 reports
Portable Paradise (2007) - Travels in the far north....
Another Luxury Irrawaddy River Cruise (2007) - Dancing the Masochism Tango
The Pinbaw Wizard (2007) - More masochism....
Heretic's Corner (2007) - Historic Diseasels....
Chinese Takeaway (2007) - Yuehong's new baby...
Irrawaddy Steamers (2007) - Worthy successors to the historic ships
Burmese Hens' Teeth (2007) - A handful of one-offs
An Empirical History of Tangye Horizontal Engines (2007) - Probably more questions than answers
Temples of Steam 2005 - Introduction
Temples of Steam 2006 - An update to our 2005 report
Temples of Steam (2005) - Mon State
Kawkapun Rice Mill (2005) - Appropriate technology taken to its limits. The account includes a mill diagram / flow chart of the milling process.
Dakhondaing Rice Mill (2005) - A classic mill, unspoiled by progress. The account includes a description of the basic milling process as well as gratuitous insults to armchair enthusiasts....
Return to Dakhondaing (2006) - More than just nostalgia....
Temples of Steam (2006) - Sagaing Division
A Day in the Life (2006) - Stationary Steam Engine gricing in the west of Bago Division
Appropriate Technology (2006) - Burma's newest rice mill
Luxury Irrawaddy River Cruise (2006)
Keeping Body and Soul Together in Burma (2006)
Click here for the International Stationary Steam Engine Page.
Rob Dickinson
Email: webmaster@internationalsteam.co.uk