Crossness Engines Trust Progress Report

The Crossness Engines Trust started work in 1985 on the restoration of the 1865 pumping house, engines and pumps at Crossness works (see KAS Newsletters 17 & 22) and made steady progress until 1989. Misunderstandings with Thames Water Utilities led to a lockout and work was not resumed until some two years later. The work since the stoppage has made real progress. Our first priority was the installation of a new and comprehensive electrical system and that was started at the beginning of 1992 and has been proceeding steadily. This permitted the running of pumps to pump out the basement of the two engine houses and work on the steam-barring engine, where good progress had been made before the stoppage, has gone well ahead. We are hoping to be able to drive it by steam at the next Open Day. Work on the main engine, 'Prince Consort' was quite steady at the beginning of the year and counter-beam linkages were freed and ready to start in the high-pressure cylinder's piston (which had been exposed to water). Here we ran into a problem and this involved the fabrication of a seven-inch box spanner and the turning of it on the nut holding the piston. It took nearly eight weeks of all manner of effort to move it but it was eventually done although the team of hammerers said they were too tired to raise a cheer when it finally moved. The mining of sand around the main pumps went ahead as soon as the water had been pumped away and we are now down below the level of the main culvert and are almost ready to cut into this to determine its condition. Eventually, the Trust hopes to create a museum of Public Health Engineering and so we are always on the lookout for various items such as pumps which could fit into such a collection. We have been given the opportunity to acquire an Ingersoll-Rand compressor once used in pumping at the old Manor Road Sewage works in Erith. Also, we have acquired, from the old Slade Green Sewage works, a pump made by Britimp Engineering, a firm which was in Sidcup. Of course, all this work could easily divert us from the main task but so far this has not happened. Our needs continue to be for money and manpower. We have scope for almost any skills and also for those who can simply help. For example, great progress has been made on the gardens and much is still to be done there. Anyone who would like to know more about the project and perhaps make a visit if they are interested in work with the Trust should phone me on 081 303 6723. It is hoped that a list of dates for viewing (by appointment) will be available by the next KAS newsletter also a date for the annual 'Open Day'.

Mike Dunmow,
(Trust Secretary).