Thank you everyone who commented on my request for help with egg-ended
boilers. We now know that ours was on its present site by 1843 (when a
steam engine was shown on a plan) and we are working hard at narrowing that
date. The same shaft had a water engine at the surface in 1704 and one
underground in 1710.
Clearly such a boiler is not unique, but a survival on site from that period
probably is the next best thing to it.
By comparison to the surviving air-receiver at Sir Francis Level in
Swaledale, on site in late 1869, most of the pressure vessels mentioned are
positively modern.
Thanks again.
Mike Gill
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