Busy Day!

Today has been one of the busiest working days in a long time! 

The chimney in the cottage kitchen was cleared of 3ft of twigs, brushed clean last week. This week saw some temporary repairs to the Belle Stove which allowed it to be lit. This willbe a welcome sight with the colder opening days coming up. It might also tempt some of our volunteers to spend some time informing our interested visitors on the social aspects of the pumping station.

The Crossley Diesel engine has been non-operational for nearly a year now due to it's air receiver being condemned. An alternative tank has been on site for many year but lots of experiments were being carried out to start the engine on 150psi (garage equipment pressure). No luck has been had so it will be back to its factory starting pressure of 250psi. This green vessel is rated to 300psi working pressure with a test pressure of 600psi! In reality the tank needs to be hydraulically tested to 1.5 times working. So today it was pumped up to a but more than this and it held 400psi for ten minutes. It will now have to be inspected by our pressure vessel inspector and passed out for use. 

The deep well pump has had its temporary wooden shims replaced for metal ones, all that is required is for holes to be drilled into the block work below and bolts to be chemical anchored in! A nice crescent brickwork surround will form the water return in front... Watch this space and all will become clearer! 

One end of the boiler building had been completed earlier in the year, so we have now begun working on the other end, frame work has been fixed to take cladding above the doors, a new door frame will be built and the doors on the existing cabin will be removed and put on this new framework. The doors will then be cladded in something a bit nicer. A small window might feature above to allow some natural light in.

Now the boiler is covered further work goes on with the boiler cladding. The smoke box has received a coat of gloss black and the galvanised cladding has been coated with an etching primer. The final colour is to be a deep gloss red finished with stainless steel bands. 

And with all this rain and warm temperatures the grass has been on steroids, so a good session with the mower sees it all cut into shape!