The times., 1898-08-01
TWO OLD STEAM ENGINES.
One Built by Watt just Put Out OF
Active Service -sa.s


Probably one of the best examples of
historical engines. writes Bryan Donkin,
in the Engineer Nondon). is the EarIston,
an old Newcomer pumping engine, still
occasionally worked al the Caprington
Coiliery. two miles from Kilmarnock,
near Glasgow. The history of this engine
is uneventful. II was set up at Capring-
ton in 1906, and has been used almost con-
tinuously ever since. at the same place
practically without any renewals or al
terations. The grandfather of Hugh
Dunn, the present manager OF the COL
liery, was In charge OF the works in 1896
and the engine has, therefore, been, so TO
speak, uninterruptedly in the hands OF
one family. Some time ago it was pro-
posed TO remove 1t, but, as It was found
still servieeable, giving little trouble. and
capable of useful work on an emergency.
it was left in position. On one occasion,
when the workings in the mine were
flooded TO depth of 80 feet. ii was set 10
work, night and day, and pumped out the
water in six weeks.
The engine. with the boiler beneath it,
stands in an isolated house with half Of
the beam projecting. II is single-acting,
single-cylinder, and the piston descends
by the vacuum formed below il. The di-
ameter of the cylinder is 30 inches; stroke,
3 feet inches; diameter of the pump 9
inches; stroke, feet 3 inches, or the
same as that of the motor piston, as the
beam is of equal length on either side of
the main bearings. The lift of the main
pump is 170 feet, and both engine and
pump work at L strokes per minute The
steam pressure in the boiler is about one
half pound above atmosphere, vacuum in
the cylinder from diagrams recently
taken. S 1-2 pounds. The engine indicates
9.65 horse power and the pump S.S2 horse
power. Mean unbalanced pressure under
the piston, 7-16 pound, due 10 the vacuum
from the condensation of the steam
The only structural change made in the
engine since il was first set up was the
substitution. about fifty years ago. of
cast-iron beam, with radius bar and par
allel motion, for the original old wooden
beam with cradles at either end. The
engine has however, worn out several
boilers since first started The top of the
cylinder is open. and TO prevent the
passing of the air below the piston a jet
of water from the pump plays constantly
above the piston. If too much water ac-
cumulates il is led off through hole and
pipe at a suitable level, to the hot we'll.
For the photograph of the second en-
CINE we are indebted TO Messrs. Avery,
who. 1t will be remembered. acquired the
celebrated Soho Works of Messrs. BOulton
& Watt few years ago, and carry on the
business under the title of MesSrS. James
Watt & Co. II is said that this is the
oldest Watt engine in the world. 1t is in
the possession of the Birmingham Canal
and was constructed by
Messrs. Boulton & Watt in the year wv
the order being entered in the firm books
in that year as a single-acting beam en-
CINE with chains at each end of a wood
beam, and having the steam ,scyllpder
inches in diameter with a
stroke of eight feet, -and ereCsed at a
canal company's pumping station at
During the present year-1S9S-this re-
markable old engine, which has been
regularly at work from the time of its
erection to the current year, a period Of
say, 120 years. was removed to the canal
station, at Ocker Hill. Upton.
there to be re-erected and preserved as
relic of what can be done by good man
agement when dealing with machinery of
quality.
1t is worthy of note that the Birming-
ham Canal Navigations favored Messrs
Boulton & Watt in III with the order for
this engine and in 1895, or 100 years after
ward, the company, has intrusted the
same firm, Messrs. James Watt & Co.
Soho. Smethwick, with alle manufacture
of two of their modern triple-expansion
vertical engines, TO be erected at the Wal
sail Pumping Station. having 240 horse
power and q pumping capacity of RIB
500 gallons per day.