| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Engineering |
| Founded | 1897 |
| Fate | Acquired |
| Successor | C. A. Parsons and Company |
| Headquarters | Newcastle upon Tyne,UK |
Key people | Charles Algernon Parsons,Rachel Parsons |
Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company was aBritishengineering company based on theRiver Tyne atWallsend,North East England.
Charles Algernon Parsons founded the company in 1897 with £500,000 of capital. It specialised in building thesteam turbine engines that he had invented for marine use.[1] The first vessel powered by a Parsons turbine wasTurbinia, launched in 1894.[2] The successful demonstration of this vessel led to the creation of the company and the building of engines for the first two turbine-powereddestroyers for theRoyal Navy,HMS Viper andHMS Cobra, launched in 1899. Although both these vessels came to grief, the new engines were not to blame, and theAdmiralty was convinced. Parsons' son became a director in the company and was replaced during the First World War by his daughterRachel Parsons.
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Parsons turbines powered the Royal Navy's first turbine poweredbattleship,HMS Dreadnought, and the world's first turbineocean liners,RMS Victorian andVirginian. 73,000 horsepower (54,000 kW) Parsons turbines powered the 31,000 GRTCunard express ocean linersRMS Mauretania andRMS Lusitania.
All early marine turbines drove their propellers directly. Parsons developedhelicalreduction gearing for marine turbines, and in 1908 converted thecargo shipVespasian to turbine propulsion with reduction gearing.[3]
Four direct-drive Parsons turbines powered battleshipUSS Arizona. They were designed to produce a total of 34,000 horsepower (25,000 kW), but achieved only 33,376 horsepower (24,888 kW) inArizona'ssea trials, when she met her designed speed of 21 knots (39 km/h).[4]
The Royal Navy,Royal Canadian Navy andRoyal Australian Navy used Parsons turbines on theirTribal-class destroyers. TheInvincible-class battlecruisers all used Parsons propulsion systems.
In 1944, Parsons was one of 19 companies which formed the 'Parsons and Marine Engineering Turbine Research and Development Association', usually known as Pametrada.
The destroyerHMS Glamorgan, launched in 1964,[2] had a Parsons propulsion system.
The Cunard linerQueen Elizabeth 2, launched in 1969, had Parsons turbines.
The company was absorbed intoC. A. Parsons and Company and survives inHeaton, Newcastle as part ofSiemens Energy, aGerman energy industrialconglomerate.
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