G'day all.

I'm researching the Tivoli coal mine near Ipswich, Queensland and came upon this 1875 description of a steam pump they were going to install:

This machine is of American origin, and is specially designed for use in mines, the working parts being with that object reduced to the smallest possible space. To an ordinary double-action pump a steam cylinder is joined and serves as the motor, the steam being conveyed from the boiler, which may be on the surface. This principle of arrangement will be availed of at the Tivoli mine, which is worked by a sloping tunnel 1800 feet in length and reaching a depth of over 300 feet. The steam will be conveyed the entire distance by pipes, properly packed to prevent condensation. Having no fly-wheel or governor, the engine and pump take up very trifling space in the mine, and the one under notice, with an 11-inch cylinder, will throw over 3000 gallons of water per hour out of the mine. By an additional patent, occupying no space to speak of, the engine can be made self-condensing at a moment’s notice, a decided advantage under many circumstances.

Can any of our steam-savvy listers point me at a graphic image of what this thing would have looked like ? Ideally I'd like to pin down the US manufacturer.

Thanks in advance

Imageo

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In the 1970s a small steam pump was saved from falling down the Engine shaft at Cyfty Mine Llanrwst. It was set in a small mouthing in the shaft side where the vertical shaft met the load. The area it was in was very unstable if it had gone then the pump would have gone a long way down the old stoaps. This pump went to Llawernog Mueseum Mid Wales.

I think what you are looking for is somewhere along this line. This pump was made by Worthington Simpson but I think the American firm of Westinghouse made similar products.
🔗Personal-Album-1228-Image-50913[linkphoto]Personal-Album-1228-Image-50913[/linkphoto][/link]

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similar smaller machines are used as boiler water feed pumps.the `Preston Steam services`should show lots of examples under steam equipment.

I suppose the self condensing 'add on' would save having to run a condensate line back to the surface with its associated static head of 130 PSI.
Probably a waste of heat and treated water though unless the condensate was pumped back?

The condensate would be allowed to escape via a steam trap and then pumped back to the surface with the mine water. There would be no advantage in pumping back condensate alone as the heat loss would be too great on such a low amount of water

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Thought that might be the case. 🙂

Thanks for the responses gents. I now find it was made by a mob called Tangye and there's one or two web sites out there so I'm getting a bit closer to the answer.

Thanks again

Imageo

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Tangye was a British firm

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Tangye was a British firm

Indeed, they originally came from Illogan in Cornwall and moved to Birmingham. Famous for a whole range of engineering products, Googling for Tangye and pumps or steam engine (especially Google images) will produce a whole range. Mine pumps may need a bit more digging in the dusty depths of old books. The following site (usual disclaimer) produces reproductions of Tangyes catalogues on CDROM. They also became associated with Holman...

http://oldenginehouse.users.btopenworld.com/cd.htm 

Cheers

Grahami

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Some nice info there Graham, the place I did ny apprenticeship had a fair few Tangye coke stoves.
Seem to remember Tangye had a fair range of hydraulic jacks as well, if that's the same company?

Thanks Guys,

Hmm, tricky that. The article definitely says American and then a year or so later it's a Tangye. Perhaps the US one was US and they went for a good old British model ?

All the best !

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