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Maybe OT.... Not exactly an engine... but....

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Bernd:
Nice pictures Steve.  :thumbup: Would love to see more also.

I'd love to see a saw mill run by water power.

Bernd

cedge:
Here are a few more....

Here is the water wheel without all the photo trickery.


Here is where the drive enters the mill from the water wheel. Notice the idler pulley is controlled by a simple system of hemp cording and small pulleys. The whole belt and shafting system is manipulated by wooden handles near the miller's work station.



Here the incoming shaft transfers power to the upper floor where the miller is grinding corn


Another shot of the vertical transfer belt and shafting


The mill has a collection of various types of milling devices ranging from this small grinder to a full set of large stone grinders. They change from one to another from time to time. This small grinder was the choice for this weekend's showing.


Steve

andyf:
About ten miles from me, there's an early (about 1785) cotton mill. Here's a pc:
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-quarrybankmillandstyalestate

In their heyday, those buildings were full of spinning mules, jennies and looms, powered by a single waterwheel which was later assisted by a couple of steam engines. The original wheel is no longer there, but during restoration was replaced with another antique one of similarly heroic proportions - 32 feet in diameter and 21 feet wide - which is the largest working one in the UK. It looks positively majestic as it revolves.

Being, by birth at least, a Lancashire lad whose grandparents had connections with the cotton industry, I love the chakka-chakka-chakka sound of the demonstration looms they run in there.

No doubt you have seen it on your travels, Stew. If not, it's well worth a visit.

Andy

cedge:
Being from what was once the textile capital of the world, I've seen old photos of some of the mills when they were powered by water. Sadly none of them survived the introduction of steam power or the advent of electrification. Today there are barely any textile mills left in our part of the world. Those that survived total destruction are now popular for the development of Loft or Studio Apartments.... after much asbestos remediation.

Any photos of that massive wheel?

Steve

sbwhart:
Steve

Quarrybank is not far from use, we visit from time to time to walk the grounds, if you know where to go you can duck under the fence and get a grandstand few over Manchester airport runways, my wife is a bit of a plane nut and loves to watch the takeoffs and landings, she's itching to visit as soon as the volcano flight ban is lifted as the level of activity will increase because of the backlog: if we do I'll take some pics of the big wheel.

Cheers

Stew

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