STEAM ENGINES AND WATERWHEELS

[Stanley]

N&R men scrapping the Bancroft Alternator in 1979. A big mistake as it could have been left in together with the distribution board and switches.

[Stanley]

The last resting place of the alternator at Ouzledale Foundry.

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The distribution panel that went with the alternator. Such a pity.....

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Martin Grace, qualified as Marine Engineer, 2nd Class and came to Barlick to install steam powered cranes and stone cutting machines at Sagar's Upper Hill Quarries. He served at Bankfield as engineer for many years and then was asked by James Nutter to help John Waddington of Roberts Engineers to instal Bancroft engine. He stayed there as mill engineer.

[Stanley]

Albert Hogarth and his engine in about 1900.

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Ernest Marshall stopping Wellhouse engine for the last time in 1965. I think the man with him may be his father Tom Marshall.

[Stanley]

Victoria Mill, Earby in 1954, the broken fly shaft. Johhny Pickles is on the3 right and the man stood in front of him in the pin stripe suit is Teddy Woods from Procter and Procter at Burnley. I think the man behind Johhny is Tommy Almond who was engineer at the mill. Click to enlarge.

[Stanley]

George Hogarth and the Clough Mill engine.

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George Hogarth in about 1940 when he was engineer at Bancroft.

[Stanley]

Stanley Fisher at Brown and Pickles in about 1925 with a large lathe he was building for the shop. Stanley was engineer at Moss Shed from about 1930 until it closed.

[Stanley]

Butts Mill Engine. Charlie Watson was engineer at the time. Note that cover on HP is plain and not turned with pattern like the LP. Looks as though this was a replacement. The steam pipe is coming in overhead as well and the central steam valve may be redundant.

[Stanley]

Butts Mill, repair to LP piston seen here removed from the bore. Norman Gill is the fitter and worked for Henry Brown and Sons who were doing the repair pre 1929. I think this was the new piston cast at Brown's Havre Park foundry. Newton could remember his mother taking him down to watch it being cast and the first attempt was a failure.

[Stanley]

Havre Park foundry in 1922 when it first opened. Now the central building in Gissing and Lonsdale's premises. Interesting, in view of the massive excavations further up the road at present that when Johnny Pickles built the foundry as foreman for Henry Brown and Sons he had to lay scrap loom cranks under the walls to stop them sinking in the bad bearing ground. When Bracewell built Wellhouse Mill they had the same problem, many walls had to be pulled back and rebuilt.

[Stanley]

Havre Park in 2012.

[Stanley]

Enclosed photo taken in 1950's is of Walter Fawcett, Mill Engineer, in Perseverance Mill Engine House, Padiham. This mill was owned by the Noble family of Padiham - Eric & Alan Noble, brothers, were directors. Regards, Gill Rosthorn, Accrington.

[Stanley]

[chinatyke]

"Derrick and Quarry Cranes and Wenches made"

Wenches?
Is this what Bobby Bare sang about?
Track: She's My Ever Lovin' Machine
Album: Bobby Bare sings Lullabys Legends and Lies.
One of my favourite albums, very relaxing.

[Stanley]

Hee hee! I hadn't noticed that... Some typesetter would get his knuckles rapped.

[Stanley]

Walter Fawcett left hand side, Harold Armfield middle, Arthur Johnson right hand side. Gillian Rosthorn, Accrington.
Gillian sent me this pic done in the engine house at Perseverance Mill, Padiham. They have a wine glass apiece, looks as though it might be the last time the engine was stopped.

[Stanley]

John Burlison sent me this pic of the engine bed stones from Rugby Mill collected together ready for transport from the site for recycling. Taken yesterday 5th July 2014.

[Stanley]

Calf Hall dam in 1978. It has gone now during alterations to the mill. There was a borehole on the right hand side in later years to augment the water supply in times of drought. I think the condenser water was pumped back into here and extracted for the engine at the far end of the culvert under the mill, close to the engine house.

[Stanley]

Another forgotten area of steam engine tenting is the maintenance of water courses essential to the running of the engine. This is the entrance to the culvert at Gillians which carried the beck down to Bancroft Shed. The brick culvert was built at the same time as the mill and it was the responsibility of the engineer at the new shed to keep these screens clear. We did it until the mill closed in 1978.

[Stanley]

Bancroft dam in late 1977. This is the consequence of the trash screen at the upper end of the culvert getting blocked by leaves and debris coming down the beck while we were running. We'd cleaned it the day before but very heavy rain overwhelmed us.

[Stanley]

Only one pic qualifies today! The Fellsman coasting into Appleby heading south yesterday. I like the fact that it is not what we used to call a 'namer' but a bog standard Stanier heavy freight 8F 2-8-0 loco. The only modification to it for this duty is that it has had its wheels balanced for high speed running. I reckon we got very close to 60mph at some places and it handled the climb up over Ais Gill with ease pulling 11 coaches. A very creditable performance. From the sound of the exhaust they had the valves set just about perfect!

[Stanley]

The Fellsman coming into Blackburn Station on its way North over the Long Drag.