Bradford Industrial
Museum
Ground floor Galleries
First floor Galleries
Outdoors
The Machinery Room
The machinery room is split into 2 sections. On the right hand side is the steam powered machinery and on the left had side is the line shafting equipment.
Engineering Workshop - Line Shafting
In the simplest definition, a line shaft is the rotating shaft part of a system of mechanical couplings between the power source in a factory and the machines that do work. These rotating shafts transmit mechanical energy throughout the factory, and were usually interconnected to each other and to machines using various systems of pulleys, gears, and other mechanical methods.
A line shaft would be installed in the fitting, machining and pattern making department of engineering workshops. A series of leather belts and pulleys would be fitted along walls and ceilings then powered by a steam engine or water wheel.
The Power of Steam
The high dependence on water power meant that, while the mills further downstream had a greater volume of water when it arrived, it sometimes didn’t arrive till lunchtime. Mills higher upstream had access to the water earlier in the day; but there was less of it
;Steam meant that factories could be built anywhere, not just along fast-flowing rivers.
Hoffman sprinkler system
Oil Engine Driven Water Pump
James Gordon Water Turbine
James Gordon formed his company in 1922 after working for Messrs. Ralph Douse and Company, engineers and contractors.
Vulcan Iron Works
Mechanical engineer Robinson Thwaites (1807-1884) founded Vulcan Iron works Bradford in 1855 as Robinson Thwaites & Co. Later in partnership with Edward Carbutt as Thwaites & Carbutt employing 200 men, and then in 1880 as Thwaites Brothers.
Below an example of a Thwaites engine.