Engine going for scrap?

I see in the latest issue of Industrial Archaeology News that the 1944 Crossley engine at Southey pumping station in East Anglia is to be scrapped as the building is to be converted for residential use. The value of scrap and difficulty of removing the engine are cited as reasons against preservation.

Presumaby this is a museum-sized engine rather than something most of us could manage - sad that we are still loosing our engine heritage.

Reply to
John Ambler
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What sort of Crossley is this? Any info?

Cheers Tim

Dutton Dry-Dock Traditional & Modern canal craft repairs Vintage diesel engine service

Reply to
Tim Leech

Crossley-Premier, owned until recently (assuming it has now been sold) by an occasional poster to this Newsgroup.

Paul

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Internal Fire, Museum of Power, Wales

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Reply to
Paul Evans

hiya, very interesting

do we have photos at all of its condition?

can anyone store it?

thanks, martyn

Reply to
Martyn Butler

Martyn, Your doing it again, read the original post its more than likely going to have to be cut up to get it out of the building. "The value of scrap and difficulty of removing the engine are cited as reasons against preservation."

Martin P

Reply to
Campingstoveman

so are you CSM. Don't you mean "you're" rather than "your"? After all the word you should've used is a contraction of "you are".

Cheers

Reply to
Scenic O'Faolin

Reply to
Roland and Celia Craven
301 squadron (Bury St Edmunds) Air Training Corp actually, rank of corporal. Did dress up at Christmas as a Major in the 87th infantry US Army does that count ...... :-))

Martin P

Reply to
Campingstoveman

Hi All, Yes the engine was mine but it's housed in a magnificent Victorian pumping station that just got to valuable, so now the engine is going in the bin. I tried to find it a home but who wants a 3 cylinder 250 bhp oil engine and can make the effort to remove it and it can be, I have done worse much worse this one would be easy just needs some one who owns a so museum has some time and a little money to spend !!.

Regards Steve.

an occasional poster to this Newsgroup.

Reply to
steve green

Martyn's question is actually a fair one and deserves an answer. IMHO the whole operation is very different to you or I trundling a few hundred miles with a trailer. Lets start by assuming that a large engine is donated, not always the case in these days of cash-strapped Universities and accountant-led PLCs. If the engine is in a building which cannot be damaged it is necessary to dismantle it carefully and extract it in bits. A lengthy task which gets interesting if there is no overhead crane or its out of ticket. A good few man-days work involving repeated trips or overnight accommodation. Modern Cos are rightly very H&S conscious so you may have to get a gas-free certificate for any pipework and undergo training before any "hotwork" can be done or electrical tools used. If the bits can be handled by a hy-ab equipped flat-bed (or two) great, otherwise its BIG crane hire at either end (£1000 a day - minimum charge). The bits are then driven a few hundred miles, off-loaded and prepared for storage. Then you dig a big hole in the ground, and using measurements taken, or if you're lucky the original drawings, build complex shuttering before filling the hole with several loads of certified engineering grade concrete. Pop the engine back together; plumb in the water, fuel and air systems - using vast amounts of pipe and fittings, pour in large quantities of oil and Bob's yer uncle!! The figures are no doubt arguable but in round terms collecting and re-erecting a large engine won't leave much change from 5 grand. Grants are hard to come by so its no wonder that our museums are keen to attract visitors and donations....... I had the privilege of helping, for a week, with the Sulzer at Internal Fire and it looks great blowing over on air but by the time it runs at Easter several man-months of hard work will have been expended. as always other's views may differ... regards Roland

"Campingstoveman" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@individual.net...

Reply to
Roland and Celia Craven

A sad story - got any pictures of it, so that we can see just what's involved ?

BTW - Does anyone know how such engines were originally erected ? Is there a gantry crane on site, or was it all done with lashed-up sheerlegs ?

Reply to
Andy Dingley

Dunno how they erected engines of this type, but my reading suggests that Cornish beam engines were erected by a small team of men armed only with a ropes. timber and a manual windlass. It is amazing what was achieved in the

19th century by sheer human muscle power, gearing and pulley blocks.
Reply to
John Ambler

That's right. The New Cut, a river cutting of some three miles that bypasses Bristol Docks and leaves them locked away from the tidal flow, was entirely dug by Napoleonic prisoners of war armed only with picks & shovels.

Gunpowder was used occasionally, but I understand the Frogs were not entrusted with it ;o))

regards,

Kim Siddorn.

Reply to
Kim Siddorn

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