Paxman-Ricardo 6RXS Engines
Ordered and Built
Related Pages:
Paxman Engines since 1934 • Paxman Submarine Engines • HMS Unruffled
Based on the Paxman-Ricardo RX engine, the RXS had a fabricated steel frame and was specially designed for service in submarines. Only made in 6-cylinder in-line format, the 6RXS developed 400/440 bhp (270kW) at 825 rpm. Coupled to a 275 kW generator, it powered all British 'U' Class and 'V' Class submarines built during World War 2. Each boat had two engines. They were made in pairs, left and right handed, so that all the controls were between the two engines.
More information about the RX and 6RXS can be found on the page Paxman Engines since 1934
According to Despatch Record Sheets held by the company, a total of 189 6RXS engines were despatched. Having gone carefully through the Paxman Order Book which covers the period from January 1938 to 1948, I have been able to identify 182 which were built. (In this book are other orders for 6RXS engines but these are noted as having been cancelled.) The late Mike Gipson prepared a spreadsheet with some earlier orders for which we do not have the order book. These earlier orders include four 6RXS engines for Vickers-Armstrongs. Details of these four orders and the other 182 completed orders, as extracted from the order book, are shown in the table below.
Except where noted otherwise below, all these engines had a design speed of 825 rpm and a rated power output of 400/440 bhp or 270kW.
| Serial No | Order Date | Ordered By | Destination and Notes | Sent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19034 | 1937 | Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd | It is reasonable to conclude that these four engines were for 'Undine' and 'Unity'. Two of the initial three 'U' Class boats, the other being Ursula (see below). | |
| 19035 | " | " | ||
| 19036 | " | " | ||
| 19037 | " | " | ||
| 50006 | 24-06-37 | Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness | Ursula | 16-09-38 |
| 50007 | " | " | 19-09-38 | |
| "U" Class Vessels Nos 757/766 | ||||
| 50081 | 06-09-39 | Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness | Utmost (sunk) | 25-06-40 |
| 50082 | " | " | ||
| 50083 | " | " | Upright | 25-07-40 |
| 50084 | " | " | ||
| 50085 | " | " | Unique (sunk) | 10-08-40 |
| 50086 | " | " | ||
| 50087 | " | " | Usk (sunk) | 01-08-40 |
| 50088 | " | " | ||
| 50089 | " | " | Upholder (sunk) | 03-08-40 |
| 50090 | " | " | ||
| 50091 | " | " | Unbeaten (sunk) | 16-09-40 |
| 50092 | " | " | ||
| 50093 | " | " | Urge (sunk) | 20-09-40 |
| 50094 | " | " | 21-09-40 | |
| 50095 | " | " | Undaunted | 01-11-40 |
| 50096 | " | " | ||
| 50097 | " | " | Urchin | 04-11-40 |
| 50098 | " | " | 05-11-40 | |
| 50099 | " | " | Union (sunk) | 21-12-40 |
| 50100 | " | " | ||
| 50101 | 09-09-39 | (blank) | Order book says, "To be built at Chatham Dockyard". These four engines were probably for Una and Umpire. Umpire was lost off Cromer on her delivery voyage in July 1941. | (blank) |
| 50102 | " | |||
| 50103 | " | |||
| 50104 | " | |||
| 50159 | 26-03-40 | Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness | For "U" Class Vessels Each direct coupled to 270kW generator. 8 generators by English Electric Co Ltd. 12 generators by General Electric Co Ltd. | 31-12-40 |
| 50160 | " | " | 01-01-41 | |
| 50161 | " | " | 19-02-41 | |
| 50162 | " | " | 20-02-41 | |
| 50163 | " | " | 11-02-41 | |
| 50164 | " | " | 07-02-41 | |
| 50165 | " | " | 07-04-41 | |
| 50166 | " | " | 08-04-41 | |
| 50167 | " | " | 04-03-41 | |
| 50168 | " | " | 03-03-41 | |
| 50169 | " | " | 20-05-41 | |
| 50170 | " | " | 14-07-41 | |
| 50171 | " | " | 03-04-41 | |
| 50172 | " | " | 04-04-41 | |
| 50173 | " | " | 05-05-41 | |
| 50174 | " | " | ||
| 50175 | " | " | 06-08-41 | |
| 50176 | " | " | ||
| 50177 | " | " | 29-05-41 | |
| 50178 | " | " | ||
| 50192 | 02-06-40 | Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd | ||
| 50193 | 31-05-40 | Admiralty | ||
| 50194 | 07-09-40 | Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd | For "U" Class Vessels | 23-07-41 |
| 50195 | " | " | ||
| 50196 | " | " | 27-08-41 | |
| 50197 | " | " | ||
| 50198 | " | " | 25-09-41 | |
| 50199 | " | " | ||
| 50200 | " | " | 29-08-41 | |
| 50201 | " | " | ||
| 50202 | " | " | 24-11-41 | |
| 50203 | " | " | ||
| 50204 | " | " | 08-10-41 | |
| 50205 | " | " | ||
| 50206 | " | " | 09-02-42 | |
| 50207 | " | " | ||
| 50208 | " | " | 03-12-41 | |
| 50209 | " | " | ||
| 50210 | " | " | 03-02-42 | |
| 50211 | " | " | ||
| 50212 | " | " | Unruly (sunk) | 21-10-41 |
| 50213 | " | " | ||
| 50214 | " | " | For "U" Class Vessels | 13-05-42 |
| 50215 | " | " | ||
| 50216 | " | " | 10-01-42 | |
| 50217 | " | " | ||
| 50260 | 23-06-41 | Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd | Mod: to frames ditto bearings | (blank) |
| 50261 | " | " | ||
| "U" Class Group IV | ||||
| 50262 | 05-08-41 | Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd | 27-07-42 | |
| 50263 | " | " | ||
| 50264 | " | " | 26-06-42 | |
| 50265 | " | " | ||
| 50266 | " | " | Universal | 29-06-42 |
| 50267 | " | " | ||
| 50268 | " | " | Vitality | 24-09-42 |
| 50269 | " | " | ||
| 50270 | " | " | Vandal | 19-10-42 |
| 50271 | " | " | 21-10-42 | |
| 50272 | " | " | Upstart | 11-11-42 |
| 50273 | " | " | ||
| 50274 | " | " | Varne | 17-12-42 |
| 50275 | " | " | ||
| 50276 | " | " | Curie | 30-11-42 |
| 50277 | " | " | ||
| 50278 | " | " | Untiring | 02-01-43 |
| 50279 | " | " | ||
| 50280 | " | " | Varangian | 25-01-43 |
| 50281 | " | " | ||
| 50282 | " | " | Uther | 13-02-43 |
| 50283 | " | " | 15-02-43 | |
| 50284 | " | " | Unswerving | 13-03-43 |
| 50285 | " | " | ||
| "U" Class Group V | ||||
| 50291 | 19-01-42 | Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd | Venturer | 10-05-43 |
| 50292 | " | " | ||
| 50293 | " | " | Viking | 23-04-43 |
| 50294 | " | " | ||
| 50295 | " | " | Pipinos | 11-07-43 |
| 50296 | " | " | ||
| 50297 | " | " | Vampire (sunk) 50297 was rebuilt by Paxman in 1953 and installed in HMY Britannia, the Royal Yacht. | 28-05-43 |
| 50298 | " | " | ||
| 50299 | " | " | Vox | 08-07-43 |
| 50300 | " | " | ||
| 50301 | " | " | Vigorous | 30-09-43 |
| 50302 | " | " | ||
| 50303 | " | " | Virtue | 04-11-43 |
| 50304 | " | " | ||
| 50305 | " | " | Visigoth | 11-11-43 |
| 50306 | " | " | ||
| "U" Class Group VI | ||||
| 50317 | 12-05-42 | Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd | Vivid | 13-08-43 |
| 50318 | " | " | ||
| 50319 | " | " | Voracious | 20-12-43 |
| 50320 | " | " | ||
| 50321 | " | " | Vulpine | 31-01-44 |
| 50322 | " | " | ||
| 50323 | " | " | Varne | 01-03-44 |
| 50324 | " | " | 03-03-44 | |
| "U" Class Group VII | ||||
| 50330 | 24-06-42 | Admiralty | Upshot | 05-02-44 |
| 50331 | " | " | ||
| 50332 | " | " | Urtica | 09-03-44 |
| 50333 | " | " | ||
| 50334 | " | " | Vineyard | 31-03-44 |
| 50335 | " | " | ||
| 50336 | " | " | Variance | 05-05-44 |
| 50337 | " | " | ||
| 50338 | " | " | Vengeful | 02-08-44 |
| 50339 | " | " | ||
| 50340 | " | " | Vortex | 08-09-44 |
| 50341 | " | " | ||
| 50342 | " | " | Veto | |
| 50343 | " | " | ||
| 50344 | " | " | Virile | |
| 50345 | " | " | ||
| 50346 | " | " | Visitant | |
| 50347 | " | " | ||
| 50348 | " | " | Upas | |
| 50349 | " | " | ||
| 50350 | " | " | Ulex | |
| 50351 | " | " | ||
| 50352 | " | " | Utopia | |
| 50353 | " | " | ||
| "U" Class Group VIII | ||||
| 50355 | 16-11-42 | Admiralty | Virulent | 02-06-44 |
| 50356 | " | " | ||
| 50357 | " | " | Volatile | 05-07-44 |
| 50358 | " | " | ||
| 50359 | " | " | Votary | 21-07-44 |
| 50360 | " | " | ||
| 50361 | " | " | Vagabond | 21-09-44 |
| 50362 | " | " | 22-09-44 | |
| 50363 | " | " | Verve | |
| 50364 | " | " | ||
| 50365 | " | " | Vantage | |
| 50366 | " | " | ||
| 50367 | " | " | Vehement | |
| 50368 | " | " | ||
| 50369 | " | " | Venom | |
| 50370 | " | " | ||
| "U" Class Group IX | ||||
| The order of 15-05-43 was originally for twenty engines. The "U" Class Group IX section of the order book has entries for Nos 50378 to 50397, but all were cancelled except for Nos 50382 to 50384 which were re-directed for other purposes as detailed below. | ||||
| 50382 | 15-05-43 | Admiralty | Depot Spare | 29-11-44 |
| 50383 | " | " | Depot Spare | 14-11-44 |
| 50384 | " | " | A E Laboratory | 12-06-45 |
| Depot Ships (supporting submarines) | ||||
| 50410 | 11-10-43 | Admiralty | Boxer | 15-12-44 |
| 50411 | " | " | ||
| 50412 | " | " | Southern Prince | 28-02-45 |
| 50413 | " | " | 28-02-45 | |
| 50414 | " | " | 15-03-45 | |
| 50415 | " | " | Rampura | 23-03-45 |
| 50416 | " | " | 27-04-45 | |
| 50417 | " | " | Keren | 25-05-45 |
| 50418 | " | " | 13-06-45 | |
| 50419 | " | " | Montdare | 06-11-45 |
| 50420 | " | " | 31-12-45 | |
| 50421 | " | " | Cancelled | |
| 50422 | " | " | ||
| Admiralty Marine Dynamo Pool | ||||
| Notes: The order book shows that the engines below were to have a speed of 750 rpm and a power rating of 250kW. They were to be coupled to generators by Laurence Scott, generating 225 volts DC. | ||||
| 50471 | 08-12-44 | Admiralty | 20-07-45 | |
| 50472 | " | " | 26-07-45 | |
| 50473 | " | " | Imperielise (Revenge) | 30-08-45 |
| 50474 | " | " | 13-09-45 | |
| 50475 | " | " | 10-10-45 | |
| 50476 | " | " | 19-10-45 | |
| 50477 | " | " | 29-01-46 | |
| 50478 | " | " | 02-02-46 | |
| 50479 | " | " | Cancelled | |
| 50480 | " | " | ||
| Notes: The Admiralty placed orders, provisionally on 08-02-45, firm on 22-03-45, for a further twelve 6RXS generators for the Marine Dynamo Pool. Paxman allocated Nos 50519 to 50530 for these. Nos 50519 to 50524 were to run at 750 rpm with an output of 250kW and be coupled to Laurence Scott generators. Nos 50525 to 50530 were to run at 825 rpm with an output of 270kW. Nos 50525 to 50528 were to be coupled to English Electric generators. Nos 50529 and 50530 were to be coupled to General Electric generators. All these orders were cancelled before being built. | ||||
Page uploaded: 15 JUL 2016