Today I’ve had a good one. First I’ve solved the blogger issue where my pictures were popping up in a Lightroom type slide show. Well I didn’t solve it myself, way beyond me! Mark did. It is good that folk care and are kind. You can find him here JAVADRINKER. He is stunningly bright. A bit frightenling so if I'm honest. Thanks again Mark. Pictures will enlarge as normal now but you will have to wait till the wee spinning wheel has stopped………….Can you remember when it was an egg timer or hour glass. I miss that but don’t miss the waiting.
Tees Cottage Beam Engine House. The two red cylinders are accumulators. They even out the flow of water from the pumps. Save no end of stress in the system and save ones water coming out of the tap in spurts.
The river tees is just away to the left. It’s fullish…………it’s raining….it’s obscured by trees.
Now I have many snaps today. This is a wonderful place, owned by Northumbrian Water but looked after by enthusiastic volunteers. I have decided today to use flash…….manual and TTL. To be honest I’m hopeless with it. I’m going back tomorrow as I forgot in all the excitement to use second curtain flash that would hopefully have added a bit of movement. Access here is excellent……Safety is good but not at all restrictive. So tripod and the works tomorrow.
Another Beam Engine house that now houses a magnificent Gas Engine and it’s pumps.
This is a Gas Plant. It no longer works but used to provide gas from coal using coal and leaving a useful by product………Coke. A smokeless fuel. Brilliant!
The twin cylinder gas engine Built by R Hornsby. If I remember correctly this company eventually became Ruston Paxman. It is actually running and driving the pumps.
The drive belt is about three feet in width. By Gum it is a beast of an engine. The pumps are away away under my feet not a cat in hells chance of getting a snap.
A wonderful bit of kit in perfect working order yet not restored. Just loved and appreciated.
I strolled on to the Beam Engine This was built in 1904 so was a posh one.
A Compound Beam Engine. The thin cylinder is the high pressure side and the fat one the low. I suspect it is single acting. I really appreciate the people here. Yes there is a fence but for those that can read there is enough information to keep one safe.
The energy source. The Lancashire boiler.
My best shot of the control room.
The drive end of the beam. It disappears up three floors.
The beam and the business end the trunnion nearest connects to a pump that lifts water from the Tees. The next drives a bucket pump that delivered water to the town. This beam weighs twenty tons and is three mezzanine floors up.
On the second floor there is a wonderful view of the low pressure and high pressure cylinder tops. Also to the left a steam lubricator. I’m not sure about the latter I’ll enquire tomorrow.
The Boss. With a massive fag but no lighter.
A wonderful three hours in a superb place. I could spend a month here.
Finally………..bet you are glad…………….The result of the Beam Engines labour. Water in from the Tees on the left and until about 1970 out to the town on the right. it’s now a fountain. Absolutely stunning!
Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
I really enjoy seeeing photos of machinery - even if I never understand how it works, it's all beyond me. As for Mark - he is sickeningly clever at what he does. That's beyond me too.
ReplyDeleteA suberb post and brilliant images Adrian... it sounds like you have found heaven..I have the same problem wth my blog images but I suppose it saves people reading the words and just have a browse around the pics...Hey ho.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your return tomorrow.
Excellent post Adrian, and great pictures.
ReplyDeleteThe 'boss' looks every inch a Boss!
Brilliant.
ReplyDeleteJohn, efficacious is the word. That's what he is. This time last night I had a problem. I didn't realise I had. Mark pointed it out and fixed it with twenty or so lines of HTLM. That for me is impressive.Look at his blog........folk are having problems..they must be really thick!
ReplyDeleteAndrew if you want to rid it just follow the links.
Mine are back to normal. If I want a light room display. I'll do it myself. Not into scrap booking.
Keith, a wondrous place. Yes he is but he is the boss.
ReplyDeleteBob. things I happen across. Surprises me!
Hi Adrian...yes the boss does look he has a massive fag in his mouth...hahahaha!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat amazing works all these gears,gauges gadgets are ..."interesting" ( that's really a lie)..lol ; }
Grace
I
It's wonderful that volunteers keep well-oiled mechanization functioning, otherwise it would all go the way of the dodo bird ;) My dad was an electrical engineer and used to rewind electric motors so I was introduced to machines at an early age ... when we immigrated to this country, he took us to large dams where he showed my brother and I the huge turbine generators which were most impressive. Therefore, I share your fascination with visiting such interesting places. Great photos and explanations.
ReplyDeleteExcellent set of images Adrian,
ReplyDeleteSuperb engineering,made in an era when machinery was built to look like machinery!....[;o)
Interesting and informative (as usual) I am wondering, though, how they managed to get a 20 ton beam up the stairs.
ReplyDeleteGrace, I'm starting to look for these daft shots.
ReplyDeleteGlo, I really enjoy both the machinery and the enthusiasm people have for it.
Trevor, I love the way people had the time and money to decorate functional machines.
Graham, they cheated. It took two of them.
Just glad I could help, so that I can continue to enjoy your photos in their full size glory!
ReplyDeleteMark, thanks, It's akin to Hottentot is computer code to me.
ReplyDeleteI never quite know what I'm looking at with machinery, but I'm always impressed with how they seem to have taken so much architectural pride in details back in those days.
ReplyDeleteMonica, yes civic pride and architectural. Wages were much lower then which helped.
ReplyDeleteClassical and unusual place, never knew it existed. Well executed post of great window architecture and internal heritage fittings.
ReplyDeleteJay, it is a good half day out. On the Barney road A67. it only opens a few weekends a year they have a web site............Tees Cottage.
ReplyDelete