EXTRACTS FROM NOTEBOOKS FOR BOWERS MILL, BARKISLAND.

[Stanley]

EXTRACTS FROM NOTEBOOKS FOR BOWERS MILL, BARKISLAND.

UMP order books: June 13th 1913. G&S Taylor Ltd. Bowers Mill, Barkisland. Ordered by Pollitt and Wigzell Ltd, Bank Foundry, Sowerby Bridge. Superheat packings for P&W engine. These were for a new build.

Duplex packing for HP piston rod, 3¼”, 10674
Ditto for LP side, right hand, 3½”, 10675
Ditto, left hand, 3½”, 10676

These details agree with notes in an old book kept by A R Bolton, engineer at the mill after the war, in the possession of SG. He also notes that in 1947 new rings and springs were fitted to the packings on 19th September 1947. (My UMP records finish in 1942 so no confirmation)

Here are some entries from Mr Bolton’s notebooks.

29th April 1946 appears to be the date he got the job and started keeping his records.

First entry in the book is the engine details:
600hp horizontal tandem compound condensing engine by Pollitt and Wigzell, 1913. 16 3/8” HP, 32 7/8”LP X 5ft stroke, 56rpm, 160psi, 9ftx30ft Lancashire Boiler by Spurriman(?). Proctor shovel stokers. 16ft 6” flywheel, 12 grooves, 7 ropes fitted in 1946. Tate’s electric stop motion. New flywheel neck fitted and engine overhauled by Pollitts in 1926. New crosshead shaft and brasses 21st June 1944 by Burns and Sons. 30hp sprinkler pump fed direct from boiler. Main engine ropes 150ft x 1 5/8”. In 1945 new rings and springs fitted to packing 10674. At same time stop valve stuffing box rebored and fitted with UMP packing. Three ram boiler pump installed in 1921, New rams in 1945, crank bearing re-fitted in 1946. Green’s economiser, 120 new 8ft tubes fitted in 1927. Boiler repairs; 8 new rivets in boiler front in 1944. New water gauges in 1943. Spare set of water gauge cocks kept in stock. September 4th 1932, Lumbs of Elland fitted new governor to engine, cost £198. In 1946 Lumbs overhauled the governor and fitted new gears. Indicated hp in July 1945, 325hp. 337hp in September 1943. Sprinklers fitted in mill fed from cistern on water tower topped up by town’s mains. June 1946 chimney top rebuilt and 12 new bands fitted to top half of chimney. Proctor stokers overhauled by the makers 19th July 1947. Included one new set of bars for R hand furnace. Process steam was 65/70psi via a reduction valve on the boiler. Lighting appears to have been supplied by various small steam engines driving dynamos in each section of the mill. There was also a 30hp steam engine driving the joiner’s room. Annual coal consumption 1944/45 was 1460 tons. In May 1947 Cole Marchant and Morley fitted a new slide valve and connecting rod to the barring engine.

There was also a water turbine installed by Gilkes of Kendal in October 1946. 35hp, 248rpm from 23½ft head. Coupled by clutch to the engine and used to reduce load on the main engine and therefore steam consumption.

SCG/15 June 2009