Early Engines Research
Current Research into early engines - heat engines, whether atmospheric or steam, primarily those first developed or constructed up to 1812.
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The Early Engines Database has a new home
Researchers and others interested in the history of steam power will wish to note that the Early Engines Database of eighteenth century steam engines now has a new permanent home, courtesy of the Association for Industrial Archaeology. The database has moved to: https://industrial-archaeology.org/EarlyEngines/ Purpose The Early Engines database is a record of steam engine building (not utilisation) before the end of 1800. It includes any stationary engine known to have started useful work in the British Isles, even if it was very short lived. It records only the first erection of each engine, although where important detail about later use is known this is explained in the comments section. It…
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James Twyford – Mechanical mysteries
At the 3rd International Early Engines Conference at Summerlee in 2024, Steve Grudgings introduced an exciting 17th century archive of drawings containing examples of mechanical devices, including practical applications of water engines and examples of engineering practices from around the UK and parts of Europe. Contained in the fabulous journals of James Twyford (d.1721) described as “the most energetic and enlightened mining adventurer in the Somerset of the later Stuarts” (John Bulley Vol.97 (1952) of Somersetshire Archaeological and Natural History Society) Watch Steve Grudgings’ introduction to the material: The IEEC audience and wider public are invited to interpret and explain the service in what it is hoped will be an…
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Research Snippets – On Brass cylinders
Dr John Kanefsky writes: In my paper to IEEC2 on the Norris Files, I referred briefly to the paucity of evidence about brass cylinders for Newcomen engines [Kanefsky (2021), Coalbrookdale, Cornwall and Cylinders, pp.6-7 – see also early access version]. However, an advertisement in the Newcastle Courant for 3rd April 1725 sheds a little light. In it, a Mr William Packer of Bristol who has relocated to Newcastle offers to cast, among a wide variety of other items, “all Sorts of Brass-work for Fire-Engines for the Coal Works”. Little is known about Packer. From a brief search on the internet it appears he as active as a bell-founder and supplier…
