Look at what can still be found laying around !

I think you're going to need something bigger than that pickup!

Brian L Dominic

Web Sites: Canals:

of the Cromford Canal: Light Railway: Newsgroup readers should note that the reply-to address is NOT read: To email me, please send to brian(dot)dominic(at)tiscali(dot)co(dot)uk

Hi, To answer all of you who e mailed me about this engine wanting information, it is as follows Mirrlees Bickerton & Day Air blast injection diesel engine date about 1920ish 50hp electric flywheel total weight 12 tons and is one of only two known surviving and NO it's Not for sale!!! yes I will put up more photos of me recovering the engine shortly.

Regards Steve.

What was its orginal use? There looks to be a some form of pelton wheel/centrifugal pump next to it but it looks directly coupled to the crank and I wouldn't expect an old big engine like that to spin fast enough for such a thing.

I guess the weight is the primary reason for it still being there...

Hi Dave, The engine did drive the pump in the photo and it is/was directly coupled. This type of pump is slow turning at about 250 rpm and would have shifted about 30 tons of water a minute!

The engine was in the ownership of the prickwillow engines trust near by but lack of founds, time and a very inaccessible site meant the engine had to stay there. I offered the engine a home, left them a sum of money and agreed to recover it so all were happy and the best thing was it still turned over with a bar!

Regards Steve.

The Gwynne pump is of the low lift/high volume type and would shift a

*lot* of water at low speed. I've seen a number of them at waterworks installations, namely Portsmouth and Crossness. The company still exists as Allan-Gwynne. During WW1 they also manufactured Clerget rotary engines under licence, and which were reckoned to be the best of the bunch.

Regards

Philip T-E

There is a similar model 4cylinder Mirrlees at the Anson museum . It drove a c30inch centrifugal pump at Barton Locks on the Manchester Ship Canal. Installed in 1907 to back pump water but apparently never used in anger . About 200hp @180rpm . Perhaps Geoff C will be along presently to tell us of progress with its restoration? Similar engines are still in situ , I think , at Latchford and Mode Wheel Locks, but you would need a floating crane & a good deal of co-operation from MSCco. to get them out. Robert

Cor... Look forward to seeing it all fully restored on a show ground shifting contents of a 10m dia 1m deep swimming pool to another in about 3mins. Put those recirulating 22mm lister driven pumps in the shade. B-)