Steam Engine at Queen Street Mill & Textile Museum, Harle Syke, Burnley, Lancashire. synchronoscope 2011-07-19 | Queen Street Textile Mill was built in 1894 as a Calico mill, run as a co-operative. Coal fired boilers supply steam to a 500 horsepower horizontal engine, which in turn drives 308 looms via belts and shafting.Originally the mill contained over a 1000 looms. This mill only stopped working commercially in 1982 and is now the largest and most complete steam driven mill left. It is a survivor of hundreds which were once in use in Lancashire and Yorkshire, which employed thousands of people until the mid 1960's.The noise, dust and general working conditions must have been terrible with all the looms working at once. This mill is a small sized example most were much larger having several thousand looms and much bigger engines. My film footage at the Trencherfield Mill, shows how big these could be. An excellent museum and well worth a visit!
Waddon Pumping Station Steam Engine by Geoffrey Hayes synchronoscope 2020-08-24 | Steam engines used to pump domestic water supplies to Croydon and associated areas as part of the Croydon Corporation Water Undertaking which was later later taken over and operated by Thames Water. The 1910 engine on its retirement on 23rd June1983 became the last steam engine in water supply service in the UK. Steam power was first used in 1713 for domestic water supply in London.The buildings have been demolished but the two wells continue to supply water locally via electric submersible pumps. Both engines have been moved to museums where they are preserved and on public display.The corporation also owned the Addington Well Pumping Station nearby which used rotative beam engines. These have also survived into preservation and films of them in service can be seen elesewhere on this site.
Bancroft Mill Steam Engine by Geoffrey Hayes synchronoscope 2020-07-30 | James Nutter & Sons Ltd, Bancroft Shed, Gillians Lane, Barnoldswick, Lancashire BB18 5QR. Engine built 1920. Engine filmed working by Geoffrey Hayes in c’ 1975-76. Cross Compound Horizontal Steam Engine built by William Roberts & Sons of Nelson of 600 HP driving 1200 looms and dynamo – replaced with alternator later. Steam via Lancashire boiler.Stopped 1978 with mill buildings demolished in 1980.Engine restored as part of Bancroft Mill Engine Museum and is now in working order: http://www.bancroftmill.org.ukThis film is owned by and is under copyright to Geoffrey Hayes & London Museum of Water & Steam.Still shots are copyright of Chris Allen, Stanley Graham & Lancashire Textile Project
Bankhouse Mills Steam Engine by Geoffrey Hayes synchronoscope 2020-07-29 | John Maude & Sons, Bankhouse Mills, Nr Barkisland, Calderdale, West Yorkshire. Steam Textile Mill Engine built 1920 and installed second hand 1950. Filmed working by Geoffrey Hayes in c’ 1975-76. Cross Compound Horizontal Steam Engine built by Pollit & Wigzell of Sowerby Bridge of 600 HP approx. Used to drive alternator, providing electric power to woollen mill machinery. Stopped 1976 and scrapped in 1980 with mill re-developed for housing.This film is owned by and is under copyright to Geoffrey Hayes & London Museum of Water & Steam.Still shots are copyright of Chris Allen
Oak Mount Mill Steam Engine by Geoffrey Hayes synchronoscope 2020-07-27 | Cross compound steam engine driving looms at Oak Mount Textile Mill, Burnley c1975 -79.Engine still survives and is preserved on site as part of Weaver's Triangle canal side heritage trail.
Jubilee Mill Textile Steam Engine by Geoffrey Hayes synchronoscope 2020-07-26 | Textile mill steam engine filmed working at Jubilee Mill at Padiham, Burnley, Lancashire in c 1978-80
Grane Mill Steam Engine by Geoffrey Hayes synchronoscope 2020-07-25 | Textile mill steam engine filmed working at Grane Mill Manufacturing Company's mill at Haslingden, Lancashire in c1976-8.
Steam Engines at Fleam Dyke Pumping Station. synchronoscope 2016-01-10 | Film showing one of two steam driven pumping engines at work at Fleam Dyke Pumping Station of the Cambridge Water Co in Cambridgeshire, filmed around 1973. Built in 1920-21 by Hathorn Davey & Co of Leeds the engines were shut down and scrapped around 1975-80, causing public outrage at the loss of local heritage. Film copyright owned by Geoffrey Hayes & London Museum of Water & Steam with still images copyright of Peter Ellis.
Steam Engine & Deep Well Pumps at London Museum of Water & Steam synchronoscope 2015-06-28 | Built by Benham & Co in c'1890-8 this small pumping plant was used to raise water up from a 100 foot deep well at the Mylees Workhouse near Salisbury in Wiltshire. Retired in c1970 it was removed and rought to Kew Bridge Steam Museum. The engine was operated under steam on display but the pumps were put into store. From 2013 the engine and pumps were fully restored and brought together to create this new display, being completed June 26th 2015. It is a very rare example of smaller 'domestic' sized pumping plants driven by steam.
Steam Tug Brent built 1945 on voyage between Maldon & Ipswich. synchronoscope 2015-01-12 | This short documentary film shows the Steam Tug Brent on a voyage from Maldon to Ipswich in 1984 whilst under the ownership of Ron & Janet Hall who rescued her from the shipbreakers yard in 1972. Originally built as TID Tug 159 for the Admiralty in WW2 she was instead sold to the Port of London Authority for use in the enclosed Dock sytems and on the River Thames. She is now the last complete PLA steam vessel to survive and one of only three London steam tugs left complete with oil fired boiler and compound steam engine. No longer in working condition she was donated to the Steam Tug Brent Trust, a charity who are now raising funds for her restoration. Details and donations can be made via:www.steamtugbrent.org
Steam Engines at Abbey Sewage Pumping Station synchronoscope 2014-06-29 | I created this video with the YouTube Video Editor (http://www.youtube.com/editor)
shand mason engine.avi synchronoscope 2012-01-05 | Shand Mason Steam Fire or 'Trench' Engine of c'1863-70 on its first trial run following restoration at Kew Bridge Steam Museum on the first weekend in January 2012.The engine was supplied new to the Metropolitan Fire Brigade in London but was sold on to the Southwark & Vauxhall Water Works Co soon after. They used it to pump out excavations in the streets for water main laying, replacement or repair and for for pumping out basements of flooded property nearby. They also used it as part of their own volunteer Fire Brigade which they established based at Hampton Water Works. The sucessor Metropolitan Water Board had at least 8 other engines of similar design used for the same purposes around London up until the 1920's. This engine has been exstensively rebuilt over its working life, with possibly three boilers and engines. The current engine dates from c'1908 and was designed and built within the Hampton WW workshops and is based on miniatureised waterworks practice, for pumping large volumes to low heads.The engine is owned by the London Fire Brigade Museum at Southwark and is on long term loan to Kew bridge Steam Museum.
Clay Mills Pumping Station- Part 2 synchronoscope 2011-07-15 | Footage of the 1885 built Beam Sewage Pumping engines at work, first one and then both operating together. Film towards the end shows the sewage pumps, condenser air pumps and valve driving gear in the basement. These areas are not usually open to the public.
Clay Mills Pumping Station- Part 1 synchronoscope 2011-07-15 | A film showing the magnificent collection of buildings, boilers and steam engines at the Clay Mills Sewage Pumping Station Museum, in Burton on Trent. This site is very atmospheric and has been preserved very much as it was when in service. It has over 25 engines running under steam on selected public weekends. This footage shows the buildings, boilers and smaller ancilliery engines. Part 2 shows the main pumping engines at work. One of the finest heritage sites around!
National Gas Engine of 1904 & Belt Driven Water Pump. synchronoscope 2010-09-30 | 4 Stroke engine built in 1904 to operate on town (coal) gas. Built by the National Gas and Oil Engine Co Ltd, of Ashton Under Lyne, near Manchester. Used to drive a belt driven workshop in Hounslow up until the late 1960's. Ignition by externally heated porcelain 'hot tube'. Now driving a ' Pearn & Co' of Manchester water pump from the 1920's, which was used to supply a school in the Cotswolds with a domestic supply from a shallow well. Owned and restored by R.Albanese and can be seen working on view at Kew Bridge Steam Museum on occassional special event weekends.
Trencherfield Mill.wmv synchronoscope 2010-04-25 | Huge steam engine, formerly used to drive the looms at Trencherfield Mill in Wigan. Now operated daily under steam for demonstration to the public, though no longer running at full speed!Being a large example, it's one of only two left, of the many hundreds that once powered the U.K's textile industry.
Markfield Road Sewage Pumping Station, Tottenham, London. synchronoscope 2010-04-25 | Beam engine built in 1886 and used to pump sewage in the Tottenham area of North London. Now restored to working order under steam and open to the public a few times a year.
