The Bridewell Museum

Norwich

The beam engine is of a very characteristic design

 

Click on pictures to enlarge

 

The Bridewell Museum, Norwich houses the  industrial collections of Norfolk Museums. Amongst the vast collection of exhibits are a number of very choice steam engines. Pride of place must go to the little single column beam engine. This beautifully constructed engine worked at Bagg's Brewery and was built about 1840 but nothing is known of its manufacturer. The Henry Ford Museum in America has an identical engine fitted with a Watt governor and a round rimmed flywheel that worked at the Howe Dye and Colour Company factory near Manchester until 1931 which implies that the engines may not have been built in East Anglia although the valve gear is apparently of a type used by Tuxford. 

Another ex-brewery engine on display is the small horizontal engine built by the local firm of R Tidman and Sons.

Two unusual engines are the Vee Twin marine engine by Sturgess & Towlson of the Vulcan Ironworks about 1880 and used in the steam launch Vivid, and the Horizontal Steam Pump attributed to Riches & Watts and used by a local firm of well borers

 

 

? Riches & Watts horizontal steam pump used by Messrs W & G Fake, Well borers of Angel Road Norwich.=    Robert Tidman & Sons Horizontal Engine. Built about 1883. Used at Pockthorpe Brewery to raise dampers on the boilers.    Vee twin marine engine from the steam launch "Vivid".Built by Sturgess and Towlson about 1868 and worked until about 1914. Two cylinders 4.25x6 inches

Tidmans built a number of engines for fairground use and a small vertical organ engine dating from 1890 is on display. There is a centre engine from the same maker at the Holkham Bygones Museum and a complete pair in the gallopers at Bressingham Hall.

Robert Tidman & Sons Organ Engine. 27/8 inch bore 4 inch stroke. Built about 1890, worked until 1939.        

 

9 inch bore by 19 inch stroke. Flywheel 6 ' diameter. Beam 5' overall.     

The museum has a website with opening times etc at http:\\www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk

 

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