Page:Walker (1888) The Severn Tunnel.djvu/225

138 possible, or at any rate the engines, and inquiries were at once set on foot through the mining districts in various parts of the country to ascertain if any suitable plant could be purchased; and after many inquiries I purchased, from Messrs. Harvey and Co., of Hayle, two 70-inch beam-engines, and one 35-inch bucket-pump; two 60-inch engines, each with a 31-inch bucket-pump; and the Great-Western Railway Company ordered to be delivered at once the 37-inch plunger-pump, which had been provided under the original contract, but which had not then been received.

While these inquiries were being made, and the purchases effected, I had thought of a way in which it would be possible to fix three of these pumps in the Old Pit, by closing that pit as a winding-shaft, and winding entirely from the New Pit.

The Old Pit was only 15 feet in diameter, and therefore, though it was possible to get the pump-barrels into the pit, it was not possible so to place them in the pit as to be able to take off the valve door-pieces, to examine or repair the valves; but by filling up the bottom of the shaft to within 10 feet of the tunnel level, I arranged to bring the valve-pieces into the tunnel itself, where there was plenty of room for taking off the doors and making any examinations or repairs. The accompanying drawings will show how this was effected.

At this pit we arranged to fix two 70-inch beam-engines and one 60-inch. The one 70-inch engine