It bleeds my heart to learn that this great engine company is no more.Mirrlees has been well represented here in Guyana.The very power that is flowing through my computer now is coming from the plant powered by Mirrlees!!These are aged engines but yet are relentless in their drive to generate electricity.Time has been the ultimate benchmark for the test of the best and yes Mirrless has stood this test of time and does not seem to want to give up as yet.Thanks to Britain for Mirrlees Blackstone!
You are correct. It is very sad. These were fine pieces of British Engineering and were robust and strong and treated right provided fantastic service. Its a shame the factory is no more and the Mirrlees products no longer available from there. There is nothing comparable!
I spent quite a bit of time there. I worked for Heinzmann and Mirrlees used some of their governors. I spent a lot of time with the MB190 as they tested it getting it ready to be used in four HST125 power cars. I designed the engine control system for these. I spent lots of time with British Rail getting to know their standards and requirements. Once in service I traveled around on these trains keeping an eye on the electronic control system. Happy days at the end of the day as the train went back into St Phillips Marsh overnight. We would feast on the unsold sandwiches.
The Class 60 locomotives that are operated by DCR and are still powered by Mirrlees MB275 engines are being retrofitted with Heinzman Governors to replace the Woodward EGB governors! If your interested give them a ring at Leicester!
@@TANISLA2 Thanks for the information. I retired from Heinzmann six years ago. I then worked for Governor Technical Solutions until late last year when the owner Gordon Holt suddenly died. It was me and Gordon who started working for Heinzmann in 1979, working from our homes designing the E range of governors, and then starting up Heinzmann UK in 1984. Herr Anton Gromer told us he wanted the very best governor, no compromises. The fact that many are still in service now is testament to that. Heinzmann lost interest in maintaining the old governors, preferring to sell the new cheaper to produce digital governors. That's why GTS took off so well as we could fix the control boxes and actuators that Heinzmann were not interested in. The actuators after a major repair were better that the original as we fitted a better motor from another supplier. I don't think the digital governors will have the life of the analogue ones. No special components used in the analogue governors so parts will always be available for repair and just a screwdriver needed for setting them up. There is an island somewhere that had 3 or maybe 4 Mirrlees engines all different power outputs. I designed the control system for that, bringing different engine combinations online to meet the power demands of the island.
Pretty much all of the old factory has gone now, the rest (the area featured on 28DL) is due for demolition around now, I believe. A very sad sight, especially for those of us who know it in happier times. My brother and I worked there, as did my mother, father and grandfather. It's difficult not to take the decline personally with all that family history.
I remember working on a Blackstone engined genset about 1 megawatt size. it vibrated so much it was scary. My employer bought it new but sold it after 8 years as it proved way too unreliable.
Hi there My name is Lawton Berry .I am interested to know if anyone new My Granddad ?He was managing Director of Mirrlees Blackstone for many years? Just hoping someone maybe have any information or pictures relating to him .? Thank You Lawton Berry
It bleeds my heart to learn that this great engine company is no more.Mirrlees has been well represented here in Guyana.The very power that is flowing through my computer now is coming from the plant powered by Mirrlees!!These are aged engines but yet are relentless in their drive to generate electricity.Time has been the ultimate benchmark for the test of the best and yes Mirrless has stood this test of time and does not seem to want to give up as yet.Thanks to Britain for Mirrlees Blackstone!
You are correct. It is very sad. These were fine pieces of British Engineering and were robust and strong and treated right provided fantastic service. Its a shame the factory is no more and the Mirrlees products no longer available from there. There is nothing comparable!
I spent quite a bit of time there. I worked for Heinzmann and Mirrlees used some of their governors. I spent a lot of time with the MB190 as they tested it getting it ready to be used in four HST125 power cars. I designed the engine control system for these. I spent lots of time with British Rail getting to know their standards and requirements. Once in service I traveled around on these trains keeping an eye on the electronic control system. Happy days at the end of the day as the train went back into St Phillips Marsh overnight. We would feast on the unsold sandwiches.
The Class 60 locomotives that are operated by DCR and are still powered by Mirrlees MB275 engines are being retrofitted with Heinzman Governors to replace the Woodward EGB governors!
If your interested give them a ring at Leicester!
@@TANISLA2 Thanks for the information. I retired from Heinzmann six years ago. I then worked for Governor Technical Solutions until late last year when the owner Gordon Holt suddenly died. It was me and Gordon who started working for Heinzmann in 1979, working from our homes designing the E range of governors, and then starting up Heinzmann UK in 1984. Herr Anton Gromer told us he wanted the very best governor, no compromises. The fact that many are still in service now is testament to that. Heinzmann lost interest in maintaining the old governors, preferring to sell the new cheaper to produce digital governors. That's why GTS took off so well as we could fix the control boxes and actuators that Heinzmann were not interested in. The actuators after a major repair were better that the original as we fitted a better motor from another supplier. I don't think the digital governors will have the life of the analogue ones. No special components used in the analogue governors so parts will always be available for repair and just a screwdriver needed for setting them up. There is an island somewhere that had 3 or maybe 4 Mirrlees engines all different power outputs. I designed the control system for that, bringing different engine combinations online to meet the power demands of the island.
See, where the hell has our formerly GREAT industry gone?
China!!
Pretty much all of the old factory has gone now, the rest (the area featured on 28DL) is due for demolition around now, I believe. A very sad sight, especially for those of us who know it in happier times. My brother and I worked there, as did my mother, father and grandfather. It's difficult not to take the decline personally with all that family history.
I went for an interview with this company ... amazing engineering.
3:59 R.I.P Take your ideas to the far east and make them for a bowl of rice.
I could be wrong, but I think the factory still stands. Pretty sure I saw some photographs on the 28DL website.
Our lone 16 kv major at Canefield Power Plant..still going but with reduced capacity
All gone now?
Yep. Most of it's been demolished. There's some kind of spare parts facility still operating, I believe.
I remember working on a Blackstone engined genset about 1 megawatt size. it vibrated so much it was scary. My employer bought it new but sold it after 8 years as it proved way too unreliable.
About as sophisticated as MSDos got back then ...
Hi there My name is Lawton Berry .I am interested to know if anyone new My Granddad ?He was managing Director of Mirrlees Blackstone for many years? Just hoping someone maybe have any information or pictures relating to him .? Thank You Lawton Berry
Hi Lawton, have you found anyone from the company who knew your granddad?