Thanks to everyone for their responses to my posting about winding from multiple
shafts. I am still trying to get my mind around the idea of winding from 16 shafts
and an inclined plane. I can see that the use of rappers to signal to the engineman
would be quite feasible and it is interesting to learn of historic systems surviving
out of use until quite recently.
I have now read the article about waterwheel winding at Grassington Moor and will
look at the suggested PDMHS Bulletins when I can source them. My immediate reaction
is that there may be an answer to the control conundrum in the number of winds being
made. My impression of coal mining is of winding being an almost constant feature
with cages being loaded swiftly and efficiently to ensure maximum production and this
would make control over a number of shafts more difficult to co-ordinate. In the
metal mining fields such as that at Grassington I wonder whether it was possible to
wind from a number of shafts from one power source because the winds were
intermittent due to a much lesser volume of material being raised to the surface.
The economics of building enginehouses and erecting winding engines must have been a
strong incentive to use what you already had in situ.
Interesting stuff and I would welcome further comment.
Cheers,
--
fearrmeox adlaž bręgen
)| David Kitching _____|______|_ ____
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