| Description | A front view of Yatestoop engine underground by Frs. Tompson
Elevation, part section, scale 1:48
Ink
Inscribed on back: In 1777 Mr Francis Thompson of Ashover in Derbyshire, engineer, made an atmospheric engine at Yatestoop lead mine near Winster in Derbyshire. The cylinder was 70 inches diameter, it drew water 30 yards by two pumps, one 25 the other 14 inches diameter, these pumps drew the water up to a level situated 200 yards below the surface so that the engine worked with 200 yards on dry rods. The house water was obliged to be drawn up all this depth from the level to the surface by 9 inch pumps in 4 lifts from one to another. This engine worked in this way five years till 1782. Another engine was then placed underground at the level as is represented in the drawing on the other side, the cylilnder 64 and a half inches diameter, it worked the same two pumps as above to draw the water up to the level. The space excavated in the shale was 1200 cubic feet, which cost £300 before the house was erected. It is built of good grit stone, the lever wall 5 feet thick and the side walls 3 feet thick. All the materials were let down from the surface 200 yards. In Mr Farey's report on Derbyshire, page 270, this mine is mentioned as Yate-Stoop Pipe (that is a cavity (often nearly horizontal) between the beds of lime-stone having a narrow rake vein (that is a straight vertical fissure) leading from it to the surface) situated in Winster. The mine is in shale and in the 1st limestone strata, it contains much lead. The vein is crooked. A shaft 230 yards deep, a steam engine underground formerly. The level or sough is mentioned, page 331, as being N.-E. of Winster from the River Derwent, 2 and a quarter miles long up to Portaway Mine, in shale and the fist lime; it was 21 years in driving and cost upwards of £30,000. |