South Devon Atmospheric Railway Myth

Numerous written references exist to the belief that the first two James Watt engines installed at Sandfields in 1857 were transferred from the South Devon Atmospheric Railway after this form of propulsion for the rolling stock was abandoned. Evidence has now been discovered by Mr. Graham Smart of Stourbridge that only a limited number of components from the dismantled South Devon engines were used in the manufacture of the Sandfields engines.

"The engines never worked on the South Devon Atmospheric Railway but were built as new pumping engines to an order from the South Staffordshire Waterworks Company for this, their first pumping station.

In 1985 I delved into the Boulton and Watt collection at Birmingham Reference Library and found the following.

The most direct information comes from order books, the relevant item reference being No. 333 - "Order Book for 1852 - 1872". On page 141 is the first reference to "South Staffordshire Water Works - Sandfields Pumping Station" with the entry:-

"The engines AR and AS are ordered by this Co. and must be proceeded with without delay. The nozzles and valves to drwg SLM. Main levers and plummer blocks to drwg SLN. Parallel motion to drwg SLO. To contract and specifications dated 13th November 1855 - erected near Lichfield"

ENGINES - AR & AS - 2 double acting engines having cylinders 4ft (altered to 46") by 8ft stroke, the steam cylinders, cases and pistons to drwg SLL

"The air pump, condensers, hot water cisterns and waste pipe to drwg SNX. The working gear to drwg SOJ. The steam cases and air force pumps to be charged extra to estimate (See J. R. McLean letter 27th April and W. Blakes 6th May). The columns and entablature, column plates, flywheel and shaft, headstock plates and plummer blocks, crank and pins, bearer beams and boxes in well, steadying beam sat top of well for 3rd engine are to be prepared and will be charged extra, including the additional length of injection pipe, suction and C.W. pumps and enlarged steam and feed pipe (See estimate 23rd March) The connecting rods (S. Devon altered) shafts, flywheels (S. Devon 36"), headstock plates and plummer blocks to drwg SPU".

The above is a verbatim copy of this item which I think, indicates the origin of the S. Devon myth at Sandfields. These new engines incorporated connecting rods and flywheels only from S. Devon pumping engines left on B&W’s hands when the decision was taken to change the S. Devon line from atmospheric to normal steam traction. These engines were obviously built to a high specification - the new engines for S. Staffs, that is - as a letter entry refers to - "All joints being made metal to metal, all levers, journals and other working bearings being case hardened and joint pins under 1½" dia. to be of steel".

On page 364 of the same order book is the entry:- "The engine UU is ordered by this company" (i.e. S. Staffs Co.). The following list of drawing references shows this engine to be identical to AR and AS already supplied. This entry dated 26th July 1864.

Along with these engines B&W supplied 6 Lancashire boilers 32 foot long x 7 foot diameter with 2 flues 2 ft 622 diameter. The first 4 (Works Nos. 1239 - 1242) were supplied with engines AR and AS. A fifth identical boiler was ordered March 1867 and a sixth ditto December 1867. These were works nos. 1475 and 1478 respectively.

In another item in the collection entitled "Catalogue of Old Engines" under "Section K - Vacuum and Blowing Engines" there is an entry relating to the engines built for the S. Devon Rly. - p 272. There are details of 3 sets of engines:-

Presumably the Sandfields bits came from these engines, for which, presumably B&W got some sort of financial compensation from the S. Devon Rly. for the cancelled orders. There are also 3 entries in the same section detailing pumping (vacuum) engines for the London, Croydon and Epsom Rly which were obviously also "countermanded" as there is a note giving details of the customers who actually got these engines.

In summary, therefore, it appears that initially two double acting rotatory beam engines were ordered from B&W, their refs. AR and AS - 46" bore x 96" stroke. This order about Jan 1857. Preparations and certain parts for a 3rd identical were to be made at this time. For these engines the connecting rods from the S. Devon 40" engine and flywheels from 36" engines were to be used.

On 26th July 1864 a 3rd engine was ordered - this was referenced UU by B&W - and was made to the same drawings as AR & AS. Many of the parts were already in place at Sandfields, including the flywheel, and we can assume this was ex Devon also, although the order books do not make this absolutely clear. This engine probably started work early 1865.

A 5th identical boiler ordered March 1867 and a 6th ditto Dec. 1867. All boilers 32’ x 7’ dia. - 2 flues 2’ 6" dia. each.

There is a problem with these details in that the engines shown for S. Devon are 33" & 40" bore, not 36" & 40" as per the S. Staffs entries. It could be that this is an error by the clerk entering the details, or the S. Devon engines could have been built 36" instead of 33", or perhaps there were more S. Devon engines left on B&W’s hands which I have not found details of."

Mr. Smart's permission to reproduce his findings here is gratefully acknowledged.

We are a member of the Industrial Archaeology & History web ring.
If you would like to join this web ring please visit the link above.