Newcomen Tercentenary and other engines

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Newcomen Tercentenary and other engines

July started with an evening visit to the Blower's Green Pumphouse to listen to a lecture by my colleague Chris Hodrien.

On Saturday 7 July I spent some time with a flotilla of steam launches in Worcester and had a great time in between getting wet in the torrential showers. . I also got my first PotY shortlisting for a while but no cigar .

The following weekend was a Newcomen Society sponsored pair of events to celebrate the tercentenary of Thomas Newcomen's first properly documented atmospheric engine for draining a mine near Dudley. The Saturday was at the Black Country Living Museum and included the recommissioning of the replica 1712 engine.

The Sunday events were at Thinktank in Birmingham and included a canal walk to the 1817 Grazebrook engine, the animation of the 1779 Smethwick engine and a lecture.

On 21 July I went with a fellow Claymills director to see the Foxfield Railway gala before later attending the Claymills AGM. The gala was dominated by the action on the 1:19 climb out of Dilhorne (Foxfield) Colliery.

On 22 July I went with two of the usual suspects to see Crofton Pumping Station in steam and to go on a guided tour of Wilton Windmill. A good time was had by all.

On 28 July there was a day of lectures at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea as part of the Newcomen Tercentenary events.

Time was also taken to explore the nearby docks, visit the outdoor exhibits at the Swansea Museum, look at the wtreckage of the Hafod copper works and finally take a peek at the Cefn Coed Colliery Museum after closing time.

On Sunday 29 July I visited Dudley Zoo with my sister, just for a change.

So, on to August. On Saturday 4 August I was off to Blists Hill Victorian Town near Telford to watch the rolling and hammering of wrought iron in the museum's reconstructed ironworks - awesome!

On 5 august I was down south with a regular colleague to see the recently restored engine at the Sherborne Steam and Waterwheel Centre. Unfortunately a boiler fault had prevented it running.

This was followed by a trip to Westonzoyland land drainage pumping station in steam. This was excellent as always.

The following weekend was in devon with a trip to Brixham, Berry Head and Cockwood . Saturday 18 August saw a trip with my Sister to Croft Castle in Herefordshire .

Sunday 19 saw us back on our game with a morning visit to Didcot Railway Centre.

There was also a PotY nomination from this site

In the afternoon we went to re-inauguration of Combe Mill following a Lottery funded refurbishment.

The day also produced another PotY nomination and although this made the second round of judging it was ultimately unsuccessful.
The day was finished with a couple of sites en passant -

The August Bank Holiday weekend saw me on duty at Claymills Victorian Pumping Station.
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There was yet another PotY shortlisting that failed to deliver

September was spent largely out of the country but it started with a meeting with Ashley Dace in Devon and is planned to finish with a trip with him to Herefordshire (all being well).