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Friday 29 January 2016

Dudley Hill and where I served my apprenticeship

Some of you have inquired about
the works where I served my apprenticeship
The works pictured at Dudley Hill, Dawson lane
were originally the works of Mess'rs Newton Bean
and Mitchell who produced would you believe 
STEAM ENGINES. 


Their steam engines were of course of 
the static variety that powered mills and 
generating plants.


The connection with the company with whom I 
served my apprenticeship was in the power 
transmission side such as gears and pulleys


Such were needed in abundance to transmit the power
of the steam engine to the looms and spinning mules
of the mills. 


There is an excellent example of just such an engine 
in the Bradford Industrial Museum seen below


This was a Newton Bean & Mitchell Uniflow engine.


Before the development of the steam turbine,
as with the marine industry, power generation
was by means of steam reciprocating engines as
seen above. Newton Bean & Mitchell built some
very large engines. In my day it was the first shop 
entered and was called the heavy fitting shop. It
was of course by that time owned and operated 
by Crofts Engineers and it was where the very 
large gearboxes were assembled that drove
large sugar mills and indeed turbine 
installations and was of course the 
raison-d'etre for my eventual
move to P&O as a junior 
marine engineering officer.
Now in old age I harbor fond 
memories of the Newton Bean works 
and the men who very patiently taught me my trade

The artistic side of me says my cup raneth over




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