Armstrong Hydraulic Engine · AditNow Community

Mine exploration, photographs and mining history for mine explorers, industrial archaeologists, researchers and historians

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

jagman
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

17 years ago

Anyone got any pictures of Armstrong Hydraulic Engines?
There is a complete working one in Allenheads in Northumberland, I used to have some good pictures of it but think they were lost when my laptop went belly up a couple of months ago (no longer living in area to go take more)
Amazing piece of kit and very advanced for its day, unlike steam they are quick and easy to start, simply open the valve and allow it to build up to working speed.
They do use large quantities of water but it does make them cheap to run!

Wanna join the discussion?! Login to your AditNow Community forum account or Register a new forum account

grahami
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

Not quite the same but related - I've uploaded a picture of one of the hydraulic pumping engines at Penrhyn. Again, a case of open the valves and let it get on with it.

There's an extract from the original publication the picture came from at:
http://slateroof.co.uk/powpump.html
I have a full copy and might transcribe it one of these days.

Graham

🔗Penrhyn-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-035[linkphoto]Penrhyn-Slate-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-035[/linkphoto][/link]

The map is the territory - especially in chain scale.

jagman
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

17 years ago

Thats mighty pretty Graham
Is it still down there?

grahami
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

I understand that one of them was dismantled and removed some years ago, ostensibly for preservation, then there was some sort of disagreement in the quarry and most of the parts were buried under a tip. One of the frames survived by one of the sheds and we photographed it in 2004 - I'll post a pic in a bit. I believe the other is still down there. There's a different phot in the "llechi" album and a shot of the dismantled engine in David Gwyn's "Gwynedd - Inheriting a Revolution." (This has an excellent dustcover featuring the Oakeley (Ex-Welsh SLate Co.)viaduct.)
Graham

The map is the territory - especially in chain scale.

Wyn
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

I had a tour of the dam internal chambers and straining tower at Llyn Vyrnwy some years ago. There's a hydraulic engine in situ at the top of the tower, which was in constant use from installation in the 1880' till the 1980's, it didn't break down, they just decided to use an electric motor instead. Unfortunately I can't find the photo's, but it might be worth looking on the web. Oh, I can't remember who made it.

grahami
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

Here's the engine frame by the mills in 2004. The pole gives an idea of the scale. You can see a similar one in the archive photo.
🔗Penrhyn-2004-Image-031[linkphoto]Penrhyn-2004-Image-031[/linkphoto][/link]

Graham

The map is the territory - especially in chain scale.