Installed in the Foundry Building
This engine is a single cylinder paraffin engine, that can develop 17hp at 450 r.p.m.. It was originally used to dive a pump in a water treatment works at Low Bradfield, North East of Sheffield. It is installed in the Foundry Building and can be used to drive the line shafting in the adjacent Blacksmiths Shop. For day to day use, an electric motor is used to power this line shafting.
In common with many such engines, this engine cannot be started without some form of assistance. This is because Paraffin (Kerosene and TVO are similar fuels) is thicker than petrol. Some early engines used a blowlamp to heat part of the engine before it could be started, own engine needs a small charge of petrol to be pored into the intake. This means that when the engine is turned over by hand, it fires on the petrol, allowing it to create enough vacuum to vaporize the paraffin. Since arrival at Wortley Top Forge, the engine has been modified to run on petrol for a short time. This allows it to warm up and dry out properly before it has to work on paraffin.
The engine is currently out of use because of the cooling tank being moved as part of alterations to make room for the Snuff Mill Steam Engine. Upon its removal it was found that the cooling tank was in poor condition, being very rusty. A new tank with a change in the pipework will be required before the engine can be used and the opportunity is being taken to improve the fuel pipework and to fit improved fuel tanks.
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