Dear List
Alasdair Neill wrote ..."Belstone 650m worked by 60ft wheel."
The wheel was actually 70 ft. diameter with 2,000 ft. of 2½" flat-rods. This
wheel was the largest on mainland Britain,but, second largest to Laxey Mines
72½ ft. wheel. Small observation.
Regards Chris
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alasdair Neill" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 11:38 AM
Subject: Re: Flat Rod Runs
> On Sat, 14 Jan 2006 02:14:57 +0100, Robert Waterhouse
> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>>Dear list,
>>
>>Does anyone have a list of very long flatrod runs on metal mines in the
> UK, but especially South-West England?
>>Recent research in the Tamar Valley on the Devon/Cornwall border, has
> identified three exceptionally long runs of 500m, 920m and 2,100m. The
> latter was working between 1808 and 1816 on the Tavistock Canal tunnel
> works, working four lifts of pumps, plus one on Wheal Crebor. All used
> 40ft
> diameter by 4ft/5ft breast water wheels.
>>
>>What I want to know is: How rare are such long runs, which engineers were
> responsible, and when?
>>
>>Robert Waterhouse
>>=========================================================================
> The longest run in Devon & Cornwall was probably that at the Gawns Wheel
> (now reerected at Laxey) (China clay) said to be 1.5 miles long.
> The Tavistock Canal rods were said at the time in one paper to be the
> longest ever erected at the time.
> There were long runs in Mid Wales & N. England eg Derwent Mines.
>
> Some others in Devon: (lengths are plan length, ignoring topography, from
> OS maps or mine plans)
> Brookwood - 1856 a 46ft wheel working 150 fathoms rods - was this the same
> as that in 1858 moved? MRO plan shows 600m long. Length of rod remained
> recently.
>
> East Brookwood 275m worked by 40'x4' wheel erected 1864
>
> Bagtor Mine 950m rods worked by 60ft wheel 1862, working 3 shafts
>
> Whiteworks possibly quite long run
>
> Belstone 650m worked by 60ft wheel
>
> East Birch Tor 1125m run
>
> Devon United 430m to central mine, concrete flat rod supports remain
>
> Wheal Friendship (Bennetts) 800m & 500m
>
> Devon & Courtenay 600m worked by 30'x9' wheel
>
> William & Mary 500m 27'x8' wheel
>
> Wheel Russell 2 wheels one working 275,300&900m the other 350m rods
>
> South Luscombe 200m 30' wheel erected 1845
>
> Wheal Crebor Cock's Shaft 900m
>
> Devon Great Consols longest runs 750m & 1050m (rods used for working
> drawing machine also, weight of chain at surface made it impossible for
> working drawing machine directly from the big wheels).
>
> Alasdair Neill
>
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