The Ding Dong cost book entry for September contains entries for the
completion of the Killio engine house contract. This shaft is shown on various
mine plans as either Killio or Engine Shaft, & was referred to in the cost books
as being on Afters lode, although this seems dubious from the most recent
plans which show it as being on a seperate Killia lode. This does not agree
with recent published accounts.
Having gone into the Ding Dong cost books in very considerable detail over
a long period of time, I do not recall coming across refs to Ishmael's engine
house. Pete, do you have a date for this?
Going back to the original enquiry, I think the answer is some engine houses
were built "in-house", some by building contractors, but unless someone
comes up with evidence otherwise, it seems very unlikely that there were any
pure "engine house builders".
Alasdair Neill.
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