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New Zealand Listener, Volume 35, Issue 887, 3 August 1956, Page 21

Gas Turbine goes t0 Sr0 open up a new era in ship propulsion. ships engines to look for even better The building of the gas turbine was answers to their problems. And SO suggested by Mc: John Lamb, O.BE: it was that in October I95I an event head of Shell' $ Marine Research and of great importance took place on Development Department, who was the river Tyne, in north-east England responsible for the design of 66 Auris Auris the first merchant ship With her funnel aft and catwalk in the world to be fitted with a gas The British Thompson-Houston running the length of the ship, the turbine engine, left for her sea trials Company undertook, in co-operation oil tanker is easy to recognise; But in the North Sea. These trials were with Shell, the building of the gas there is one afloat today which might and the fact that turbine_ Both Shell and the BT-H a complete success temporarily puzzle the ship recog- she was able to sail immediately after Company have had considerable nition enthusiast because her experience in this field, having them withoutany further adjustments silhouette differs in one small detail it is rarely that sea trials do not collaborated with Sir Frank Whittle from all other tankers. She has a reveal the need for some adjustments in development Of the first turbo-jet small mushroom-like air intake and augurs well for her future. The engine for aircraft. exhaust cowl mounted just for ard of absence of vibration during these Ever since 1892, when the steamship the funnel: She is the I2,000 d.W. trials was SO marked that it was ~Murex ts fleet of inaugurated ton tanker, Auris 55 one of the Shell impossible, even by placing a hand tankers, Shell has been a pioneer in fleet: And she is making marine on the engine casing, to be certain marine research and development, history. that the gas turbine was in fact run- and in 1910 another event of far- This century has witnessed big de- ning: Propelled solely by her gas reaching importance occurred with velopments in the propulsion unit of turbine, she next crossed the Atlantic the launching of the Vulcanus cargo ships. First came the simple and thus became the first merchant This ship was fitted with diesel reciprocating steam engine, then the ship to do SO entirely on gas turbine engines and was the first ocean- diesel engine followed by the steam power: In spite of heavy weather going motor vessel to be put into turbine. But the goal of perfection, experienced for several days, at no commission: it always will, still lies ahead, time was it necessary to stop the as No. 6 of a second series O1 articles published b: THE SHELL COMPANY OF NEW ZEA- beckoning onward the designers of turbine, Or even vary its speed: LAND LIMITED (Incorporated in England:) Although there are still a number of problems to be solved, it is confi- 66 5 5 dently expected that Auris will Above : An engineer at the instrument panel and control valves in the engine-room: Bottom Left The Shell tanker Auris during 4 demonstration voyage in the Solent. Bottom Right : Gas tut bine , alternator and bed- plate being lifted for installation in "Auris