The Original Hucknall No1 Winding Engine.

Here we see the Thorneywell and Wareham twin cylinder horizontal drop valve engine of 1862 not long before it was broken up. There was no power in the enginehouse and the picture is dark as a result. This was taken just after the shaft was filled at No1 , the No7 shaft with its 300 HP Metropolitan Vickers AC winder still in use for Babbington Ventilation Shaft access as a single cage direct mine hoist. This Engine originally operated at low pressure similar to Wollaton (40 PSI) but when a steel drum was fitted and the Tandem Winding capacity uprated then the pressure was raised to 67 PSI. The No1 shaft in its hey day wound four Decks along with No2 in Tandem. 30cwt steel tubs were used after uprating. I was told that the engine moved fast and the cranks were hard to see at full speed. Latterly with Men and light material use its output was reduced via speed reduction to about 400HP. A final increase in pressure to 80PSI was needed to get the cage out of the shaft when the weight was taken off. Insets were at Top Hard, Main Bright and High Main which eventually became training gallery. Nottingham Evening Post has a picture of U/G Classroom. After the finish of No1 Pit production the No1 shaft was filled to Main Bright and used as access to No2 Pit. Heyes of Wigan Clock signals were used and the steam brake was converted to compressed air. A man named White was the last winder to operate this engine as he had for nearly forty years. I do not know of anything remaining of this engine, I know Ray Turton who was the Mechanical shop forman at the time took out the Pressure Gauge but it was not the original as that burst in 1933. The No2 shaft became Babbington No7 and was used to ventilate that pit. In the pictures we see Mick Mitton who was on the Babbington Fitting Staff and Babbington took care of the site after access to Hucknall was removed at the closure of the High Main and Main Bright seams.

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This photograph is by Yelhsa Ballard and was uploaded September 25^th 2012. © Yelhsa Ballard please do not copy or distribute without prior express permission.

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