Came across this photo in the collection of the late Jake Almond.
No details other than "Sedling 1960"

Perhaps a waterwheel pit (minus the waterwheel)
Does anyone know the location ?

🔗118828[linkphoto]118828[/linkphoto][/link]

Sedling was next to Burtree Pasture.
The stream is called Sedling Burn I think

I think the wheel pit is under the road up to Burtree, if I remember rightly it was open for a while 12-14 years ago when the cap fell in. About half way up the valley

It might have been something else but I think it was that. We did have a look in it at the time but can't remember if we got any pictures or not.

That whole little valley is riddled with holes that open up from time to time and I think there is more than one covered up machinery chamber up there

Chris it looks like some type of sorting belt?
Certainly my late friend, Bill worked at Sedling just after he was demobbed. He told me some of the best days of his life was sorting out the vibrant Fluorite from the dross that inevitably occurred with it!
Later on he worked on the jigging plant at Blackdene!

Hi Chris,

Looks interesting and I'm glad you're enjoying the fun of trying to decipher old photos with limited annotation.

Some reasonable suggestions, it's a walled pit and inside a building, beyond that speculation breaks out.

The trough thing in a middle would appear to be Jake's main reason for the shot, could be a launder and there may be a hole/exit point low down to the left.

There is nothing to scale it but the joist supporting the "launder" and other things looks substantial. Could be 10/12" by 3 or 4" if so the pit could be 10 ft wide.

If it was a wheel pit why have a launder running over it, unless it was an overshot wheel, in which case it would be rather smaller than the pit seems to allow for, so it might have been a replacement? I can't see any bearing points inside the pit or on the edge wall.

I will ponder, more perhaps other folk have some bold speculations to offer. :angel:

Jim

If it's the one we looked at years ago im not sure it was a wheel pit
There was a room off to one side bit it was rubble filled and inaccessible
It was quite Square and not wheel pit shaped

Ty he big "but" is that there is/was more than one sub ground level structures on that site and I'm not certain the one we looked at is the one in the picture

Chris it looks like some type of sorting belt?
Certainly my late friend, Bill worked at Sedling just after he was demobbed. He told me some of the best days of his life was sorting out the vibrant Fluorite from the dross that inevitably occurred with it!
Later on he worked on the jigging plant at Blackdene!

Hi John,

The planking(?) to the left of the trough bit (which on the photo ends abruptly), if it was a working platform for sorting stuff, seems to be at the same height as the trough, which seems an uncomfortable position to work for a shift. If my guess for the joist isn't too wild that would suggest that trough and planking could be 3 or 4 ft below the pit lip and 15/20 ft above the bottom. The pit below would appear relatively deep, that again would be rather inconvenient if it was used to store muck. I know they were used to sterner times then but even so. :o

Jim

🔗118829[linkphoto]118829[/linkphoto][/link]
This map extract may help. OS survey from 1919. Maps do not appear to be resurveyed until 1970, when all buildings have gone. The dressing plant was in use until at least 1950 for fluorite ore processing, but I have not seen any photos of the plant from that time. the waterwheel at B was a reversible winding wheel, - might this device be part of that mechanism?

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🔗118829[linkphoto]118829[/linkphoto][/link]
This map extract may help. OS survey from 1919. Maps do not appear to be resurveyed until 1970, when all buildings have gone. The dressing plant was in use until at least 1950 for fluorite ore processing, but I have not seen any photos of the plant from that time. the waterwheel at B was a reversible winding wheel, - might this device be part of that mechanism?

Hi Pete,

As regards waterwheel technology I'm getting far out of my comfort zone but if it was reversible does it not need a movable launder or a very inefficient paddle or nordic wheel, I will look further.

The pit would need to be about another 35/40 ft beyond the launder, unless again it was a small replacement for an original and why have the 20 ft or so pit at the right hand end. That still leaves the problem of no evidence of bearing mounts and I can't see any evidence of sidewall scraping, not conclusive for a wheel pit but rather handy. :flowers:

Edit:
Reversible Waterwheel

"A special type of overshot/backshot wheel is the reversible water wheel. This has two sets of blades or buckets running in opposite directions, so that it can turn in either direction depending on which side the water is directed. Reversible wheels were used in the mining industry in order to power various means of ore conveyance. By changing the direction of the wheel, barrels or baskets of ore could be lifted up or lowered down a shaft or inclined plane. There was usually a cable drum or a chain basket (German: Kettenkorb) on the axle of the wheel. It is essential that the wheel have braking equipment to be able to stop the wheel (known as a braking wheel). The oldest known drawing of a reversible water wheel was by Georgius Agricola and dates to 1556." From wikipedia.

And skimble's photos from Rammelsberg;

[photo]48036[/photo]

More Edit;

It could be the centre "launder" would feed the backshot element, I wonder if there is a minimum height below the apex of the wheel to allow that to work effectively? The platform and vertical bars to the left could be to support the launder for the overshot element.

poosticker83's photos of the site in the 19thC (?) show the aqueduct to the waterwheel building very clearly.




Jim