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The Urmston Connection – a tribute to Dr. David Smith FRS.

Dr.David Smith was a mathematically gifted Scot living in Bowden Cheshire, employed by Metropolitan Vickers Trafford Park Manchester. David Smith had written several mathematical papers on the problems of steam turbine rotor stability and was held in deep respect for his analytical mind and use of the calculus.

The achievement for which David Smith will be best remembered was his role in the development of the first British axial flow jet engine for aircraft propulsion. I was fortunate enough to meet David Smith after his retirement. David passed away in 1986, and was described in his obituary published by the FRS as an ‘intellectual giant’ praise indeed from the institute.

Although he was a steam turbine design engineer within Metropolitan Vickers, David Smith, and others at the company were aware of the possibilities of the axial flow turbojet engine.

Originally, the first British axial-flow aircraft gas turbine B10 (Betty) was to have been built by the RAE (Royal Aircraft Establishment) the engines compressor was based on test data from experimental compressor ‘Anne’ built to a design by AA Griffith of the RAE and manufactured by Fraser and Chalmers. A senior scientist within the RAE, A.A.Griffith had published paper on gas turbine development as early as 1926, and together with Hayne Constant also of the RAE considered that the compressors of future gas turbines should be of the axial type; However, the RAE did not have the manufacturing or research capability to make this aerodynamically complex compressor work on a scale sufficient to power an aircraft.

In 1937 discussions took place between the RAE and Metropolitan Vickers chief engineer Dr. Karl Baumann who in turn appointed Dr. David Smith to lead the design, development and manufacturing team. Work started at the company the following year under an Air Ministry Contract.

The experimental non-flight engine B10 had proved successful, with a compression ratio of 2:1. B10 amazed engineers by running happily with the turbine casing glowing with a dull red heat.

As war broke out and the Trafford Park Factory became committed to war work and space was at a premium, B10 had set fire to the research facility so it was decided to extend a small overspeed test cell which had been built in some secrecy on land off Barton Dock Road Urmston Manchester with a view to relocate all gas turbine research and development. For a brief period the salt mines in Wincham had been used for engine testing, however pollution and fog from the nearby industrial town of Northwich caused contamination of the compressor blading which effected performance tests so all efforts were concentrated at ‘Barton Test’.

The first flight engine F2 (Freda) ran in a test cell during December 1942, by June 1943 an F2 engine of 1800 lb static thrust was altitude tested in the tail of a Lancaster Bomber. The Lancaster which operated from the RAE Farnborough became the topic of much local discussion as it flew over the Manchester area. Interestingly the aircraft allocated by the ministry was the Lancaster prototype which proved to be most unreliable, much to the frustration of Dr. Smith and the Metrovic team.

The first aircraft to be powered by and axial flow turbojet was a Gloster F/9 40 Meteor aircraft, the flight took place at the RAE on the 13th November 1943.

Metrovic continued turbojet development, the last flight engine being the F9 Sapphire, the design of which was handed to Armstong Siddley when Metropolitan Vickers decided to opt out of aircraft gas turbines and concentrate manufacturing and development on Industrial and Marine steam and gas turbines.

The test cells at Barton were turned over to steam turbine reseach and development in the early 1960’s. Dr. Smith returned to steam turbine design, although in great secrecy he was asked to assist Rolls-Royce’s Dr. Stanley Hooker when Rolls engineers ran into aerodynamic problems when developing the compressor for the famous Rolls-Royce Avon gas turbine engine.

A Metrovic ‘Beryl’ engine was chosen by Donald Campbell for his Bluebird K7 waterspeed record attempt on Ullswater in 1955. Campbell unofficially broke the existing world record with the ‘Beryl’ which incidentally did not reach full power. I was fortunate in the 1970’s to work with a Metrovic ( now AEI ) engineer assigned to overhaul the engines working with the illustrious Leo Villa, Campbell’s chief engineer.

The writer worked at ‘Barton Test’ up until its closure in 1993, and many times did I gaze in awe at the compressor blades from failed overspeed tests, many of which were embedded 100mm deep into the railway sleepers which lined the walls of the overspeed test cell in order to protect the brickwork, and passers by.

Barton Test is still in existence, although derelict the buildings can be seen from the Parkway whilst travelling to Trafford Park…… its on the left when passing over Barton Dock Road, this building was the first to incorporate acoustic exhaust chambers and air filtration systems which are now commonplace in jet engine manufacture. I often wonder how few know the part Urmston played in the development of the modern turbojet engine.

The original F2 flight engine, experimental compressor B10 (recently refurbished for display by myself) is on show together with a ‘Whittle’ engine in the Air and Space Gallery of the Science & Industry Museum Manchester.

Compressor ‘Anne’ is displayed in the Science Museum, South Kensington, London

A few girls names there, must have been a trend at the time.