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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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…
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Early Engines in Europe – Slovakia
Steve Grudgings on a unique tour From my interests in Early Engines I had long been aware that the first successful use of an atmospheric engine in Europe was somewhere in Hungary, in the 1720s, and that it was erected by Humphrey Potter. It had been covered in various papers by the Newcomen Society but that was about the extent of my knowledge. All this changed in late 2020 when David Perrett (of Newcomen Society and AIA fame) passed on a contact from a researcher in Germany. The researcher was involved in excavating the site of this engine. I duly got in touch and was delighted to receive emails and…
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Early Engines Early Access: Kanefsky – Coalbrookdale, Cornwall and, Cylinders – new light from the Norris Files
While the COVID-19 global pandemic may have delayed and postponed the best laid plans, and even the Second IEEC conference itself, we are nonetheless delighted to report that contributors have continued to work on their papers and some have revised draft versions which are worthy of early attention.
