Atmospheric winder

Farme Colliery winding engine was built around 1810 for a colliery at Rutherglen. This atmospheric winding engine worked for just over 100 years and in 1915 it was presented to Glasgow Corporation for preservation. After many years in storage the engine was loaned to the Summerlee Heritage Trust at Coatbridge and in the 1990s what remains was largely re-erected as an exhibit at Summerlee Heritage Park. Whilst in storage it is regrettable that various parts had been lost including the legs that supported the beam which required a new steel frame to be fabricated. Today this engine is one of only three remaining rotary Newcomen engines, with the other two being in the Henry Ford Museum at Dearborn.

The operation of these atmospheric winding engines must have required great skill and today nobody knows how it was done. Perhaps one day a replica will be constructed which will allow us to understand the techniques required.