ICLOK
  • ICLOK
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16 years ago
Anyone out there got any detail re the remains of a Bull Engine house standing at Fairplay Pit in the Forest of Dean, I have found some odd refs but cannot find any detail of the engine etc..

Thanks in advance

Regs ICLOK 🙂
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh Creeper!!!!!
rhychydwr
16 years ago
Fairplay Iron Mine [Iron Ore-Pit] NGR SO 658 165 A 805 feet. Plumb Hill The remains of a Cornish Underbeam Engine House over a fine masonry shaft 350 feet deep. Opened in 1856, presumably in search of iron ore in the Crease Limestone. The Land Pit lies 300 yards north west north and although filled, a ventilating furnace and flues in the shaft top sidewall were conserved in 1980. A short distance south of the pits are three small reservoirs for boiler water, now a nature reserve.
References: Bick 1980 in error, refers to this as a Bull Engine!; Cave, Brian V 1980 Draught Chimney at Fair Play Mine. GSIA 1980 pp 3 - 6 plan and map. RFoDCC N/L (114) 9-12 2 sections. Detailed history; Trotter p 70


from Mines of the Forest of Dean by Tony Oldham
Cutting coal in my spare time.
stuey
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16 years ago
As I understand, a Bull Engine has no beam but operates the rods direct from the piston, which is situated over the shaft....
ICLOK
  • ICLOK
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16 years ago
Cheers... even if not a Bull very interesting and thanks for a quick response.. is it accessible or off limits? Do we know size of engine?

Many Thanks for a super quick response.. :thumbsup:

ICLOK
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh Creeper!!!!!
rhychydwr
16 years ago
"ICLOK" wrote:

Cheers... even if not a Bull very interesting and thanks for a quick response.. is it accessible or off limits? Do we know size of engine?

Many Thanks for a super quick response.. :thumbsup:

ICLOK



Yes, accessible. Locals friedly and helpful
Cutting coal in my spare time.
ICLOK
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16 years ago
Brill and thanks! :thumbsup:
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh Creeper!!!!!
rhychydwr
16 years ago
Nearby is:

Westbury Brook Iron Mine Main Shaft NGR SO 6605 1684

400 foot deep to water. Not sure how deep the water is. The shaft has a secure concrete capped. I seem to remember a small hole in the corner where you could drop a stone down. Not that I would of course. :angel:
Cutting coal in my spare time.
ICLOK
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16 years ago
Ta much, I think I need to do an FOD trip soon.... 🙂 sounds good down there...
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh Creeper!!!!!
rhychydwr
16 years ago
"ICLOK" wrote:

Ta much, I think I need to do an FOD trip soon.... 🙂 sounds good down there...



Yes, plenty to see. You might need to buy THE book, unless you can hire a guide.
Cutting coal in my spare time.
ICLOK
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16 years ago
I bought it off you last year... however getting it off my dad who borrowed it is another matter 😠 , he has filed it somewhere ::) !! hence easier to ask you on here at mo!!
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh Creeper!!!!!
rhychydwr
16 years ago
"ICLOK" wrote:

I bought it off you last year... however getting it off my dad who borrowed it is another matter 😠 , he has filed it somewhere ::) !! hence easier to ask you on here at mo!!



It looks as if you need a second copy 🙂
Cutting coal in my spare time.
Dave Tuffley
15 years ago
For futher info on this site and the shafts, goggle gsia and look at their journal library 1980 - Draught Chimney at Fairplay by B. V. Cave
lipsi
  • lipsi
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15 years ago
We were down in the Dean last weekend. Sadly, they're filling and capping shafts faster than I can photograph them, but mainly coal ones, the iron ore they tend to leave.

If you're down soon, take a look at the Princess Louise shaft at SO593071. 21ft across, 600ft deep and water to 40ft. Over the last few weeks, a new fence has appeared, keeping people further away. Will be posting some new photos soon
Where there's a mine or a hole in the ground.
That's where I'm heading for that's where I'm bound
So follow me down Cousin Jack
(Grateful thanks to Show of Hands)
Dave Tuffley
10 years ago
:smartass:I'm sorry but having view the fairplay pit shaft site over many years I find that I agree with Dave Bick's original statement that a Bull Engine worked this shaft. I have also got a photo print of the pit buildings before demolition back circa 1920's, which shows that the cylinder was mounted directly over the shaft. There is a definate balance bob recess at the top of the shaft which the engine would need to offset the direct weight of the vertical pumping rods. All the other pictures that I have seen of a Bull engine look remarkably like the shaft site at Fairplay. The Defence rests its case, m'lud.
Dave Tuffley (Forest Boy)
Graigfawr
10 years ago
It's worth bearing in mind that Bull engines did have small beams to work the syphon pump etc. From memory, a 60 inch Bull Engine had a beam about 10ft long. The beam was connected to the piston rod at one end whilst the other end of the beam sat in a vertical pivot. So rather than rocking about its centre-point in the manner of the beam on a conventional beam engine, the beam of a Bull engine rocked about one end.

This might possibly explain some of the confusion concerning exactly what sort of engine was at this shaft.
Ty Gwyn
10 years ago
Were`nt there remains of a bull engine unearthed at a Colliery in the FOD last year,sure the discussion was on here.
Morlock
10 years ago
Appears the beam was for the rod counterweight.

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