Page:Walker (1888) The Severn Tunnel.djvu/264

Rh four Cornish boilers already there belonging to the Company were fixed with three new Lancashire boilers.

The 29-ft. shaft, which was 35 feet in external diameter outside the brickwork, the circular wall being 3 feet in thickness, was sunk in the manner described in the account of the sinking of the other shafts, and without any difficulty from water, as a bore-hole was dropped down into the side-heading below.

The shaft was commenced the 8th February, 1886, and completed to the bottom on the 7th April. The brickwork lining of the shaft was completed on the 3rd June. The building of the engine-house at the top of the shaft was commenced on the 9th February, and completed on July 8th, 1886. The engines in this case were not only constructed but were erected by Messrs. Harvey and Co., of Hayle, the pumps being fixed by me; and the first engine and pump were ready to start and were started on the 1st July, 1886.

The length of the 12-inch cast-iron pipe laid in the side-heading was 515 feet; and when this pipe was running full bore, it still required a head of 70 feet to force the whole of the water through the length of pipe.

On the 1st July we had been able for some weeks to take the whole of the water this pipe would bring. The second of the large engines and pumps was ready to start on the 4th August. In the meantime,