February Update:

Every now and again, something interesting drops out of the blue onto our collective laps. This time it is a turbine operated three brush bottle washer, which was apparently used for cleaning milk bottles in a Bridgwater dairy and operated from a small steam boiler used for sterilising. Already John D has stripped it down with a view to its restoration and finding out more about its probable date of manufacture. The turbine also appears to be made so that it could run under water pressure as well as steam, which could be useful display for those non-steam days.

The saga of the Culverwell has moved on as has the engine, now sitting upon its new steel girder base and having moved sideways into its final position during a major heaving session by Ian & Co with the aid of hoists, chains, girders and other implements of destruction! There still remains finishing the supporting pillar for the end bearing and refitting all the bits removed earlier, plus putting back the timber sheeting from the old base onto the new, connecting the steam line and giving the whole thing a lick of paint (though somebody has already nicely buffed up the base casting using grate polish) before we can tick this one off the list.

The Culverwell Conundrum

Work has continued to get the Culverwell ready to move onto its new base, while in the background others have been trying to find out more about the engine. Until recently it was believed that the Culverwell had been built sometime in the 1860s, or at least that was what we had been told. However it now seems that this was not the case: enquiries by John D and Iain Miles seem to indicate that Culverwells did not appear until the 1880s, so was the 2/1894 stamped into the base casting a job/date number? (Job 2 of 1894). The manufacturer of the clutch mechanism has also been identified as J Bagshaw & Sons of Batley, Yorkshire, hence the JB&S stamped onto the casing. The 1815 cast onto part of it was probably either a part number or job number.

Culverwell Turns (slightly)

After not moving for some ten years, the Culverwell turned again on the 7th, about 1/2 revolution! During the stripdown and close studying of the engine, it was found that there was no key between the flywheel and the shaft, allowing the flywheel (if it had not been chocked) to rotate freely on the shaft. Closer inspection of the keyway also revealed that the flywheel was on backwards! (Presumably this had been done at some time during its stay with Bristol museum.) The only hassle with the wheel being wrongly fitted would be trying to fit a new key as the clutch mechanism ould possibly be in the way.
To check this out, the shaft was jacked up and the chocks removed. We found that both flywheel and the shaft could be easily rotated to a more accessible position and that having to take the thing off and turn it round might not be necessary. Ian has been busy building a brick pier beside the window to take the shaft end bearing and chopping holes in the new base to take the bolts for the Culverwell baseplate.

Elsewhere on site, the Easton & Amos has been receiving more paint at the hands of Carl & Patrick and Jason has been clearing out the scullery (old mess room). The walls have been scraped down (removing most of the plaster) and the window repaired. Next will be replastering, filling a number of gaps and holes and repainting, as well as replacing the stainless steel sink with a more authentic clay sink on a brick base and changing the electrics for something which looks more in keeping. Harold has been fixing the repaired hatch over the outside pit containing the Crossley silencer, and Keith has been working out how to take apart the gearbox on the college steam turbine and generator set.

Finally a new jigsaw for those who want to have a play: this month it is the Culverwell before it was stripped down. Go to http://www.jigsawplanet.com/?m=p&id=eaba898de592d151
Andy

Previous news for 2009 can be downloaded (zipfile) here

All newspages for 2008, including December's issue, can be downloaded (zipfile)here. Note that August's news got lost!

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