IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Trenear, HELSTON, TR13 0ER

On the Victorian OS map, this was a smithy

Raised finial - G; by the B3297, in parish of Wendron (Kerrier District), Trenear, in hedge. Cornwall & Scilly HER. HER Number: MCO55313 https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MCO55313&resourceID=1020 To be surveyed Milestone Society National ID: CW_SW6831

The Greensplat engine is a Cornish beam pumping engine that was latterly used at a clay pit north of St Austell. The whole area where it was has now been mined into a big hole. The engine is displayed in the open and moved hydraulically - giving one an unprecedented view of a Cornish engine. This shows the condensing plant in its basic form. The green vessel on the left is the jet condenser and steam is fed into it by the black eduction pipe coming through the bob wall. Set in the concrete block is the coffin bottom connecting it to the air pump on the right and the air pump rod is seen coming down from the beam above. Painted red is the boiler feed pump that is also worked by a rod from the beam above. The feed pump sits on the eduction pipe - ingenious use of space and saves an extra bracket.

Cornish beam pumping engine built c1850 as a rotative and later converted to a Cornish pump. It was latterly used at Greensplat Clayworks from 1897 to 1959 and removed in 1972. The cylinder is 30" x 9' and is seen without the insulating lagging it would have carried in service. This end of the engine would have been in a stone built engine house and is the 'indoor' end hence the downwards power stroke is known as 'coming indoors'. The position of the piston rod indicates that the engine is largely 'indoors' but I can't tell the direction of travel from this still photograph.

The Greensplat engine is a Cornish beam pump latterly used at a clay pit that has now consumed its house and eponymous village. This shows the exhaust valve and single perpendicular pipe (many engines had twin perpendicular pipes connecting the top and bottom of the cylinder). The classical three arbor gearwork is to the right. The link between the bottom arbor and the exhaust valve is clearly visible. The valves are large diameter double beat (Cornish) valves and a small lift opens a large area.

This inverted vertical compound engine was built by W Sisson of Gloucester in 1952 as No. E5566 and supplied to Westminster Technical College. The cylinders are are 5" & 7" x 7.5" and it is rated at 12 horsepower. It was last heard of as for sale at Preston Services near Canterbury following the removal of many of the engines from Poldark.

This is one of two engines from the Woolston floating bridges that were preserved at Poldark Mine, Wendron. This is from Vessel No. 9 and is a twin beam overhead beam engine by Mordey, Carney & Co, Southampton, 1900 (although another source gives the builders as Day, Summers of Southampton). This is a compound with cylinders 9” & 18” x 3’ stroke. The vessel hauled itself along a steel rope. It was retired about 1960. This engine and the other floating bridge engine are now in a Southampton City Council store. These two engines are unique in the UK and it is a shame they are not on display. PS - ignore the label on the fence describing this as a high speed engine - it's nothing of the sort.