My Engine house knowledge is also "elementary"

One of the mining sites I have been looking at is Cromhall (North of
Bristol) where there are two engine house sites.  One dates from the 18th
century but an engine was "erected" on the old shaft in 1815, the other
probably dates from about 1827.  They are therefore both in a relatively
close area and roughly contempory with the mine you refer to.

I am surprised that you think it must be second hand as Boulton & Watt
supplied engines well into the nineteenth century.   The Archives Division
of Birmingham Central Library holds a dauntingly large archive of the firm
Boulton & Watt, covering the activities of the business from its inception
in the 1770s until the mid 19th century.  Had it been a Newcommen engine (or
similar early engine) I would tend to agree but I understand even these were
being supplied new even after more efficient engines were developed.

With regard to the boilers - pictures of engine houses I have seen from
around this time (and  later) show external boilers with no structure or
insulation around them.  Not surprising nothing remains.  On a colliery site
(such as the one you refer to) efficiency was less of a problem than say a
tin/lead mine where coal had to be brought in.  In terms of flues the fire
would only have been to heat the boiler and could therefore have been away
from the engine house.

Others on the list know far more about this subject than I but Due to the
date and location I would be interested in what you find out

Regards

David
----- Original Message -----
From: "Newman, Phil" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2003 11:39 AM
Subject: [MINING-HISTORY] Engine house query


> Dear list,
>
> Can anyone help me with what is probably a very elementary problem about
> engine houses? If there are no visible signs of a stack or external boiler
> house on an otherwise intact structure, can I assume that the boiler was
> internal and some alternative system for disposing of fumes was used? The
> buildings in question are at the Buckingham mines in Somerset and were
built
> c. 1820. Both are of the same design, the engine having been moved from
one
> to the other. The engine in question was a Boulton and Watt 47-inch
> cylinder. Whether this was a genuine Boulton and Watt in which case I
should
> think it was second hand by that time or just following Boulton and Watt's
> design is not clear. Other characteristic features are tall plug doors
with
> timber lintels, which must have considerably weakened the bob walls, and
no
> visible cylinder loading.
>
> I have so far drawn a blank from the 'usual sources' and have been unable
to
> trace any previous work done on the site though someone must have looked
at
> them before.
>
> Any help gratefully received.
>
> Phil Newman
> (English Heritage, Exeter)
>