The 40ft water wheel installed at Gawton Mine, Tamar Valley in 1853 was superseded by about 1875 because its leat leaked so badly that the water supply could not be guaranteed. If the underlying rock was dense though, all was well. The Tavistock Canal passes through some hard rock sections, where puddling was not necessary.
Robert
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Message Received: Apr 07 2006, 09:42 AM
From: "JOB Barry"
To: [log in to unmask]
Cc:
Subject: Re: FLAT RODS & LEATS
I would support the comments on leat leakage. A couple of years ago a
friend of mine repaired his weir so that water could be directed down a
200 yard leat to his newly repaired water wheel. The great day arrived,
the sluice was opened and the water directed down the leat. It never got
anywhere near the wheel but emptied onto the field below, the main
culprit being rabbit holes!
Barry Job.
-----Original Message-----
From: mining-history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Alasdair Neill
Sent: 07 April 2006 09:27
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: FLAT RODS & LEATS
A few additions to the previous lists of long runs of flat rods (thanks
to
Geoff Purcell for providing these) all from Cornwall.
Wheal Sicily, Broadoak 330m rods worked by 36ft by 6ft wheel for sale
1863
(alongside the A38 in the Fowey Valley).
Great Roughtor Consols 220fms rods worked by steam engine
Withiel United three runs of 200 fms rods, 20ft by 3ft and 16ft by
3ft6in
wheels (1857).
Regarding leats, unless they were lined (puddled)they would probably
leak
considerably. An acquaintance recently reinstated a mine leat on his
land
near Constantine. The ground below it is now absolutely saturated; for a
long leat it is unlikely any water would reach its destination if the
leat
was unlined. This would also result in damage to ang agricultural land
below the leat, so leases for instance of water rights for mining in the
Tavy valley often contained clauses requiring the leat to be properly
puddled with clay.
Alasdair Neill.
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