1770s Pumping Engine for Hawkesbury Colliery, Bedworth

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Date:1776 - 1777 (c.)

Description:General section of pumping engine for Hawkesbury Colliery, Bedworth, Warwickshire.

When it was set to work in 1777, this single-acting engine with a 58 inch cylinder and 8 foot stroke was the largest engine that Boulton & Watt had attempted. James Watt himself visited the site several times during the erection of the engine. Unfortunately the engine did not intially work well, and suffered several accidents. The colliery owners inisted on making a trial of it in comparison to their old atmospheric engine before they would pay Boulton & Watt’s premium on it. The trial proved that the Boulton & Watt engine was vastly superior, and the arbitrator overseeing the trial awarded them a premium of £217 a year. In 1789 the engine was moved to Exhall following extensive alterations.

This drawing is part of the Archives of Soho collection, which is held by Birmingham City Archives [Ref. MS3147/Portfolio/5/625a]

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Donor ref:Archives of Soho (32/3835)

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