For these boreholes the tender of William Mathews, Brookside Works, Moston Lane, Manchester, (at Widnes from 1926) of about £5,000 was accepted in November 1925. Work on the site started in February 1926. Tenders were also received from E. Timmins of Runcorn Cheshire, who subsequently sank boreholes at Creswell Pumping Station, and from Le Grand, Sutcliffe.Boring Rig over Second Well The steam-powered rotary boring rig used with the foreman Mr. Baker in attendance is pictured. The site notes show that the hole took from October 1926 until January 1927 to complete to a depth of 550 feet below the bottom of the well. The first borehole to be drilled by Mathews was the second for the Ashton Frost engine’s well and after rapid progress between February and May 1926 boring stopped because there was no coal available due to the miners’ strike. When boring recommenced in August 1926 number two borehole was completed to 533 feet below the bottom of the well within a month. Number four borehole, 530 feet below the well bottom, was started in February 1927 but due to several breakages of equipment and consequent recovery of pieces from the borehole the contract was not completed until April 1929.

Tenders for the second engine and pumps, third boiler and other equipment were invited late in 1925 and the specification made it clear that the equipment was to be as similar to the existing as possible. The contract was awarded to Hathorn Davey and Co. Ltd, Leeds, on 12th January 1926 in the sum of £11,230.

The miners’ strike also delayed the construction of the second engine which was not erected at the Leeds works until May 1927.

In August 1927 the engine was delivered to Mill Meece by rail to Standon Bridge Station, on the L.M.S. railway, one mile away from the pumping station and then by road. It was then erected on site by Mr. H.V. Cusworth, Chief Erector at Hathorn Davey.

In October 1926 the tender of Thomas Godwin for the construction of the purifier house (Weir pump room) and third boiler seating was accepted in the sum of £908. The boiler and other equipment was supplied and fitted by Hathorn Davey and include the provision of Weir boiler feed pumps in the purifier house to replace the engine driven feed pump and steam powered injector supplied for the two on boilers.

The new engine and other equipment started working on 5th May 1928, official duty test were carried out in September 1928.

 Previous | Next