Author Topic: The Beeleigh Mill, Woolf compound engine.Maldon, Essex.  (Read 193771 times)

Offline steam guy willy

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The Beeleigh Mill, Woolf compound engine.Maldon, Essex.
« on: February 19, 2015, 01:48:12 PM »
I Have started this new engine of the Woolf Compound A frame engine. It is tucked away in the corner of Essex near Maldon It was built circa 1820 ? and was installed in the mill about 1845. The mill burnt down in 1875 and was never rebuilt  due to the corn laws &&&&. It has remained intact ever since and is original and unaltered since then. Most of the nuts and bolts are square headed and there is a lot of Ovolo mouldings all over it. It is currently being restored and i have permission to make a model of it.
« Last Edit: February 20, 2015, 01:05:25 AM by b.lindsey »

Offline steamer

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Re: The Beeleigh Mill, Woolf compound engine.Maldon, Essex.
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2015, 01:49:23 PM »
Cool!   Pictures please!
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline steam guy willy

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Re: The Beeleigh Mill, Woolf compound engine.Maldon, Essex.
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2015, 01:58:41 PM »
some photos of the engine and the maquette to sort out the inner workings of the cylinder block one in wood and the other in perspex

Offline steam guy willy

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Re: The Beeleigh Mill, Woolf compound engine.Maldon, Essex.
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2015, 02:04:16 PM »
Photos of the perspex engine maquette this is the HP cylinder..........

Online sco

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Re: The Beeleigh Mill, Woolf compound engine.Maldon, Essex.
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2015, 02:56:11 PM »
Interesting project Willy - thanks for sharing!

Simon.
Ars longa, vita brevis.

Offline Johnb

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Re: The Beeleigh Mill, Woolf compound engine.Maldon, Essex.
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2015, 06:48:52 PM »
Thanks for those pictures. A very interesting project. Interesting to see the cylinder covers being held down by bolts, albeit square headed ones, rather than studs. I thought studs were universal for this application. You live and you learn!
John Browning. Member of Ickenham and District SME

Offline Jasonb

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Re: The Beeleigh Mill, Woolf compound engine.Maldon, Essex.
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2015, 06:57:40 PM »
So are you making this one all from clear material? Or just getting a feel for the basic layout of the major components before cutting metal

Quite similar to the slightly later one at Preston's though an A frame rather than single column
« Last Edit: February 19, 2015, 07:03:05 PM by Jasonb »

Offline Roger B

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Re: The Beeleigh Mill, Woolf compound engine.Maldon, Essex.
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2015, 06:59:10 PM »
I suspect that studs did not appear until "mass production" started. Why cut two sets of threads instead of one  :headscratch: (especially when you are doing it by hand  ::) )
Best regards

Roger

Offline philjoe5

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Re: The Beeleigh Mill, Woolf compound engine.Maldon, Essex.
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2015, 07:01:35 PM »
This is a rather unique project.  I see JasonB got ahead of me with the question about making it in clear material or is that a bit of pattern making?

I appreciate the work in your drawings too :ThumbsUp:

Cheers,
Phil
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.  - Mark Twain

Offline steam guy willy

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Re: The Beeleigh Mill, Woolf compound engine.Maldon, Essex.
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2015, 11:11:11 PM »
Thanks for all the interest this has generated, The construction of the perspex "maquette" is to try and sort out what is happening in the inside of the compound engine. On most compound and triple expansion engines the cylinders are connected by outside pipes. on this engine everything is concealed in the massive cast engine block and one can only sumize  what is happening inside from external protuberances etc etc etc . They are slowly taking the engine apart and a endoscope would be handy. Bothe cylinders are steam jacketed and there is little evidence so far of drain cocks for the cylinders !. I have been trying to find out about these engines but there is very little so far, also there is a dearth of this type of engine in drawings and castings available. Here are more photos of the how i think the insides work. This n
maquete is not quite to scale as i have to take more measurements

Offline steam guy willy

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Re: The Beeleigh Mill, Woolf compound engine.Maldon, Essex.
« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2015, 12:34:58 AM »
Thanks Jason for the pics , there seems to be drain pipes on the Preston engine you posted. The down bipie is fitted to the jacket here this is to provide steam to the valve and also to make room for the cylinder down pipe to get the steam to the other end of the cylinder. Quite a bald looking cyl block on the Beeleigh engine !! also there is sign no of wooden cladding

Offline Dave Otto

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Re: The Beeleigh Mill, Woolf compound engine.Maldon, Essex.
« Reply #11 on: February 20, 2015, 01:11:16 AM »
I agree with what the others have said Willy; very interesting project. I too was wondering initially if you were making patterns or what your were up to.

I will be following along to see what you learn and where this project goes.

Dave

Offline sbwhart

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Re: The Beeleigh Mill, Woolf compound engine.Maldon, Essex.
« Reply #12 on: February 20, 2015, 06:51:18 AM »
Real interesting project of a very nice looking engine I love the architecture on the cast iron column, I'll be following along with great interest, keep the posts coming.

Stew
A little bit of clearance never got in the way

Offline steam guy willy

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Re: The Beeleigh Mill, Woolf compound engine.Maldon, Essex.
« Reply #13 on: February 20, 2015, 12:27:16 PM »
the maquette is coming along fine ,The outer down pipe is glued on. this protrusion has two functions one is to allows steam from the jacket to enter the main steam and govenor valve and to allow clearance for the  down pipe of the cylinder from the ports. also i have the capston fitting for the tailstock so i can drill those 1" holes again.

Offline steam guy willy

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Re: The Beeleigh Mill, Woolf compound engine.Maldon, Essex.
« Reply #14 on: February 20, 2015, 04:15:51 PM »
More pics of the engine..........The gland bolts on the piston rods are acme type threads and as there is only 1 nut this would work ok !.The govenor is an original Watt type and the beam ends are of the acorn pattern ,This is what attracted me first to this engine as the Bridewell has the same design as well as the Hedley.

 

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