No 215 Aug 2017 1 www.sihg.org.uk

Our Vice Chairman Pam Taylor presenting the 2017 SIHG Conservation Award Plaque to Norman Emblow, leader of the project to remove and reconstruct Deek’s Frimley Green Cycle Workshop. Vic Deeks was the last of the family to run the shop, which ceased trading in 2002. He died in 2007 and in 2011 his daughters, Judith and Ann, donated the building and its contents to the Rural Life Centre. Photo John Bourne 15 July 2017.

Contents 1 SIHG AGM & Conservation Award 2017 to the Rural Life Centre’s reconstruction of Deek’s Frimley Green Cycle Workshop 2 SIHG Meeetings; Industrial History Group Officers 3 Venues, Times & Contacts of other organizations 4 Parson’s Steam Turbine by Bob Bryson 5 The PilgrimsProgress: The Pilgrims Way Motor Company by Peter Minett 8 World War 2 Tank Dug Up at Denbies Vineyard by Jan Spencer Newsletter 215 August 2017 2 SIHG Newsletter No 215 August 2017 Enquires to Programme Co-ordinator Bob Bryson: 01483 577809, [email protected]. SIHG Industrial Archaeology Lectures at Guildford alternate Tuesdays, 19:30-21:30 Education Centre, The Cathedral, Guildford (map: www.sihg.org.uk). Single lectures at £5, payable on the night, are open to all. The 42nd season starts on 10 October 2017 10 October The R101 Disaster and the Broken Elevator Cable Dr Bryan Lawton, Newcomen Society 24 October The River Thames Society and the River Thames Peter Finch, Chairman RTS 31 October History of Croydon, London’s Main Airport 1920s & 1930s Peter Skinner, Archivist, Historic Croydon Airport Trust 14 November Strange Planes Colin van Geffen, Aviation Artist and Enthusiast 21 November Tales and Trails of the Tillingbourne Valley Project Dr Anne Sassin, Surrey Hills 12 December Members’ Talks Evening - Free to all lecture attendees Short talks by members plus refreshments Thursday Morning Lectures at , 10:00-12:00, 5 October - 14 December 2017 Room G6 The Institute, 67 High Street Leatherhead KT22 8AH Non-member full fee £50 SIHG member £45. Please note that attendance is for the full course only 5 October Maidstone, Gravesend and Rochester Proposed Airports in Kent that failed to take off James Preston 12 October Development of Containerisation and the fall of the Pioneer British Companies Richard Mellor 19 October Regency Revels - the drama at the opening of the Regents Canal Lester Hillman 26 October (Half Term) 2 November (tba) 9 November (tba) 16 November The “Railway Man” Eric Lomax - The Beginnings of his interest in Railways Michael Bailey 23 November (tba) 30 November (tba) 7 December The BP Deep Water Horizon Incident Richard Rumble 14 December Members’ short talks

New pattern of publication for the Surrey Industrial History Group Newsletter. The Newsletter is now issued quarterly, covering: February, March & April May, June & July August, September & October November, December & January

Many thanks to all who have sent in contributions. Please send in reports or photos of holiday visits or thoughts on local, national or international Industrial Archaeology by 20 October 2017 for the next SIHG Newsletter! Any articles or images, whether long or just a a brief note will be appreciated - both by the editor and by the readers!

Surrey Industrial History Group Officers Chairman, Lectures Organiser & Sales: Robert Bryson [email protected] Secretary: Hugh Anscombe [email protected] Treasurer: (vacant) Acting Treasurer: Robert Bryson ([email protected]) Vice Chairman & Membership Secretary: Pam Taylor [email protected] Newsletter Editor: Jan Spencer [email protected]

SIHG is a group of the Surrey Archaeological Society, Registered Charity No 272098 - Castle Arch Guildford Surrey GU1 3SX Group President: Prof AG Crocker FSA

Published by Surrey Industrial History Group, printed by YesPrint 3 Leafy Oak Workshops Cobbetts Lane Yateley GU17 9LW © SIHG 2017 ISSN 1355-8188 Newsletter 215 August 2017 3 Venues, Times & Contacts Most venues open 30 minute before the published time. Albury History Society: 20:00; Albury Village Hall, Inland Waterways Association (IWA): £10/£8; no prior The Street, Albury, Guildford, Surrey GU5 9AD; booking required; www.waterways.org.uk; 0203 612 9624. http://alburyhistory.org.uk/; Margaret Clarke, Ironbridge Gorge Museum, Enginuity: 01483 202 294, [email protected]. 10:00-17:00, Ironbridge, Sat Nav TF8 7DQ, Amberley Museum & Heritage Centre: 10:00-17:00; £11/ www.ironbridge.org.uk, 01952 433424 £10; Amberley Railway Station BN18 9L; Kent Archaeological Society (KAS): www.amberleymuseum.co.uk; 01798 831370. http://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk. Ancient Technology Centre: 10:00-16:00; £6; Damerham Kempton Steam Museum: 10:30-16:00, £7/£6; Snakey Lane, Road, Cranborne, Dorset BH21 5RP; (behind school); off elevated section of A316, Hanworth, Middx; entrance 01725 517618, www.ancienttechnologycentre.co.uk. TW13 7ND; www.kemptonsteam.org; 01932 765328. Basingstoke Canal Society: 20:00; Parish Pavilion, London Bus Museum: see Brooklands. Recreation Ground, Station Road, Chobham, GU24 8AJ; London Canal Museum: Open 10:00-16:30; Talks 19:30, www.basingstoke-canal.org.uk/, contact - Malcolm £4/£3; 12/13 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RT; Brickwood, [email protected], 07437 200021. www.canalmuseum.org.uk; 0207 713 0836. BIAG, Berkshire Industrial Archaeology Group: 19:30; London Museum of Water and Steam: £2-50; St Mary's Church Hall, Castle Street, Reading, Green Dragon Lane, Brentford, Middx RG1 7RD; www.biag.org.uk. TW8 0EN; www.waterandsteam.org.uk; 020 8568 4757. Brixton Windmill: second weekend of every month, plus a Mapledurham, Watermill & House : £9-50/£8-00; 14:00- few extra dates; free; full tour must be booked in advance; 17:30; Sats, Suns & Bank Hols; Mapledurham, Reading drop in for short tour; Windmill Gardens, West end of RG4 7TR; www.mapledurham.co.uk/the-water-mill, Blenheim Gardens, Off Brixton Hill, London SW2 5EU; 0118 972 3350 or www.mapledurhamwatermill.co.uk, www.brixtonwindmill.org/. 07710717149. Brooklands: open Summer 10:00-17:00, Winter 10:00-16:00; Museum of English Rural Life (MERL): open Tue-Fri 09:00 £11/£9.90; Brooklands Rd, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 0QN; -17:00, Sat-Sun 14:00-16:30, free/donation; Redlands www.brooklandsmuseum.com; 01932 857381. Road, Reading, Berkshire RG1 5EX, Brunel Museum: Walks from Bermondsey Tube; just turn up www.reading.ac.uk/merl/; 0118 378 8660. Wed 16:30, Sun 10:45; £9/£7. Boat & train from Embank- Museum of London Docklands: Mon-Sun: 10:00-18:00; no.1 ment tube station (not pier) for Brunel sites along Warehouse, West India Quay, London E14 4AL; the Thames; just turn up Tue/Thu/Sat 10:45; £9/£7 (+ www.museumoflondon.org.uk/docklands, transport costs). Museum: Railway Avenue, Rotherhithe, [email protected], 020 7001 9844. London SE16 4LF; 020 7231 3840. Newcomen Society Birmingham: Thinktank, (Birmingham Bursledon Brickworks: steam days £6/£5, open days £4/£3; Science Museum), Millennium Point, Aston University, Coal Park Lane, Swanwick, Southampton SO31 7GW; Curzon Street, Birmingham, W Midlands B4 7XG www.bursledonbrickworks.org.uk; 01489 576248. Newcomen Society London: 17:45, free; http:// Chatham Historic Dockyard: newcomen.com; new venue - The Dana Studio, The Dana 10:00-18:00, £22/£19-50; Chatham, Kent ME4 4TZ; Centre, 165 Queens Gate, London SW7 5HD. www.thedockyard.co.uk; 01634 823800. New River Action Group: http://newriver.org.uk/nr/; Council for Kentish Archaeology (CKA): 7, Sandy Ridge, Bob Hare, 020 8348 2710 / 07870 157 Borough Green, TN15 8HP. 703; [email protected] Crofton Beam Engines : 10:30-17:00; £8/£7; Painshill Park: 10:00-16:00; £8/£7, Crofton, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 3DW. Between Streets, Cobham, Surrey KT11 1JE; Crossness Pumping Station : 10:30-16:00, £8; The Old 01932 868 113, www.painshill.co.uk/. Works, Crossness STW, Belvedere Road, Abbey Wood, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard : 10:00-17:30, site ticket, London SE2 9AQ; www.crossness.org.uk; 020 8311 3711. annual £28/£26; HM Naval Base, Portsmouth PO1 3LJ; Croydon Natural History & Scientific Society (CNHSS): www.historicdockyard.co.uk; 02392 728060. 19:45; free? UR Church Hall, Addiscombe Grove, E Croy- Reigate Caves, Wealden Cave & Mine Society: don CR0 5LP; http://cnhss.co.uk; 0208 668 1431. some Sats, 10:00-16:00, £3/£2; Didcot Railway Centre: 10:30-17:00; £10-00/£9-50; Didcot Royal Gunpowder Mills: 10:00-17:00; Beaulieu Drive, Wal- Parkway railway station, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 7NJ; tham Abbey, Essex, EN9 1JY; £10.50/£9; www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk; 01235-817200. www.royalgunpowdermills.com/. Docklands History Group: 18:00, £2; Museum of London Rural Life Centre: open Summer Wed-Sun 10:00-17:00 + Docklands, No 1 Warehouse, West India Quay, Bank Holiday Mondays, Winter Wed/Sun 10:00-16:00; Hertsmere Rd, Canary Wharf, London E14 4AL; £8-50/£7-50; Old Kiln Museum, Reeds Road, www.docklandshistorygroup.org.uk; 01689 851982. Tilford, Farnham, Surrey GU10 2DL; Gatwick Aviation Museum: Open Friday, Saturday and Sun- www.rural-life.org.uk; 01252 795571. days; 09:30-15:30; £7-50; Vallance-Byways, Lowfield SPAB Mills Section: www.spab.org.uk/spab-mills/ Heath Road, RH6 0BT; http://www.gatwick- STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway: aviation-museum.co.uk/; 01293 862417. 10:00-16:00, £8/£6-50; Kemble Drive, Swindon SN2 2TA; GLIAS, Greater London Industrial History Society: 18:00; www.steam-museum.org.uk; 01793 466 646. The Gallery, Alan Baxter Associates, 75 Cowcross Street Subterranea Britannica: www.subbrit.org.uk. (through the archway and in the basement at the rear Sussex Industrial Archaeological Society (SIAS) : of the building), Farringdon, EC1; info Tim Sidaway, www.sussexias.co.uk. [email protected]; www.glias.org.uk. Twyford Waterworks: 11:00-16:00, £5/£4; Hazeley Road, Greenwich Industrial History: 19:30, £1; Old Bakehouse, Twyford, Hampshire SO21 1QA; rear of Age Exchange Centre, opp Blackheath Stn, Bennett www.twyfordwaterworks.co.uk; 01962 714716. Park, 11 Blackheath Village SE3 9LA; no parking; Watercress Line, Mid Hants Railway: all day travel £14, http://greenwichindustrialhistory.blogspot.com. free on non-running days; Station Rd, Alresford, Hants Hampshire Industrial Archaeology Society (HIAS): 19:45, SO24 9JG; (or Station Rd, Alton, Hants GU34 2PZ); free; Underhill Centre, St. John's Road, Hedge End, Hants www.watercressline.co.uk; 01962 733810. SO30 4AF; www.hias.org.uk; 01962 855200. Weald & Downland Living Museum, £13/£12; 10:30-18:00, Haslemere Educational Museum: Singleton, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0EU; Open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00-17:00; www.wealddown.co.uk; 01243 811348. admission by donation; 78 High Street, Haslemere, Surrey, Wey & Arun Canal Trust: The Granary, Flitchfold Farm, GU27 2LA; www.haslemeremuseum.co.uk; 01428 642112 Loxwood, Billingshurst W Sussex, RH14 0RH; office@ weyandarun.co.uk; 01403 752403; (Mon - Fri 09:30-13:30) Newsletter 215 August 2017 4 Parson’s Steam Turbine by Bob Bryson

I have written previously in the at the Navy Review for Queen Newsletter about large steam Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee at reciprocating engines, like Spithead, on 26 June 1897. those at Kew and Kempton High power density is obvi- originally used to pump water ously a prime requirement for to consumers in London. I have high power marine application also mentioned how the even at the possible expense efficiency of these types of of efficiency. Therefore the machine improved over the admiralty was relatively quick years, thus requiring less coal to adopt the steam turbine for and dramatically reducing all major capital ships built running costs. Whilst most wa- after 1905. HMS Dreadnought ter pumps and other machinery was the first battleship to use are today electrically driven, steam turbines in place of the the electrical power itself was older reciprocating triple- until very recently mainly pro- expansion steam engines. She duced by large steam turbines had two paired sets of Parsons using low grade coal as fuel. direct-drive turbines producing a total of 23,000 hp that gave her a (UK 2012; Coal 42.8%, Gas One of the steam turbine pumps at Kempton 28%.) maximum speed of 21 Knots. Anyone visiting the Kempton engines may have In 1904 Cunard commissioned various tests with noticed the two small steam turbine pumps situated both steam turbines and reciprocating engines to between the two giant reciprocating engines. Each establish what type of machines should be fitted to of these small turbine driven centrifugal pumps the Atlantic liners “Lusitania” and “Mauretania”. does nominally the same amount of work as one of The engines under test were not directly compara- the larger engines but the difference in size is very ble, since the turbine could produce nearly twice apparent. The large engines each weigh about 800 the power of the reciprocating engine. However the tons, whilst each turbine on its bed plate only conclusion was that the turbine was more efficient weighs 20 to 25 tons. under full load while the reciprocating engine was more economical at lower loads. Since the Cunard In 1933 when the turbines were installed, the effi- ships were intended to cross the Atlantic as quickly ciency of the turbines/centrifugal pumps was not as possible the part load efficiency was not consid- able to match that of the reciprocating engines. The ered all that important and 68,000 hp steam turbine triple expansion engines with force pumps were engines were specified. This estimated to be about 24% choice was vindicated when more efficient than the steam the “Mauretania” captured the turbines driving centrifugal Blue Riband for the fastest pumps. (The efficiency of the westbound crossing in 1909 large engines was measured at and held the record for the 26% in 1930; so the turbines next twenty years. It is inter- must have been about 21% esting to note however that the efficient.) The engines were “Olympic”, “Titanic” and also considered more reliable “Britannic” vessels of the as a broken turbine blade White Star Line launched could destroy the whole shortly afterward were turbine. Turbines are better designed to be larger and more suited to electricity generation luxurious but not as fast as the because the steam turbine can Cunard vessels. The Olympic be linked directly to the gener- class ships did have a (16,000 ator; unlike in marine and hp) steam turbine fitted, but pumping applications were it this only drove the central is desirable to fit an intermediate propeller and the other two gearbox to reduce the turbine propellers were each driven by speed. “Turbinia” a large triple acting reciprocat- There is not space in this article to describe all the ing engine like those seen at Kew. (Unlike the work done by Charles Parsons (1854-1931) in de- Kempton engines which produce only 1,008 horse veloping and promoting his steam turbine. It suffic- power those of the Olympic class ships, while of es to say that he first patented his invention in 1884 similar size had to work that much harder and were and seeing a naval application for his turbine he rated at 15,000hp each.) built “Turbinia” which he famously demonstrated (Continued on page 5) Newsletter 215 August 2017 5

(Continued from page 4) calculated to be only 9.28%. Parson’s first turbo generator Overall plant efficiency was only 1.6% efficient and reached 20% in 1936, when generated a mere 7.5 kilowatts, 395 power stations provided rapid incremental improve- an installed capacity of 8,398 ments in a few years led to his megawatts. first megawatt (1,341horsepower) Modern power stations employ turbine being built in 1899 for steam turbines each capable of a generating plant in Germany. generating 600 megawatt and In 1912 Parson’s built four more. To drive these turbines 25 megawatt turbines for needs massive water tube boil- Commonwealth Edison Co. in ers and steam turbines, the best Chicago. Parson’s guaranteed overall plant efficiency being the steam consumption of of the order of 42.7% with net these machines would not turbine efficiencies of 48.5%. exceed 11.25 lbs per kWh. These figures are however (An estimated turbo generator state of the art, as, for example efficiency of 31% implying an in America, the average power overall plant efficiency of plant efficiency has hardly about 20% taking boiler losses An early Parsons steam turbine driving changed since 1957 and re- into account.) a 500kW generator mains at about 33% overall. By 1920 there was a total in- (As environmentalists in the stalled capacity in the UK of 2,447 megawatts sup- USA point out; two thirds of the plied to 900,000 customers. The overall efficiency power is still being wasted!) ¤ of the total system, new and older equipment, was

The PilgrimsProgress: The Pilgrims Way Motor Company by Peter Minett Plans were submitted in September 1905 for workshops on land at Weydon; the architects were Messrs Niven, Wigglesworth, and Falkner. When com- pleted the buildings became the home of the Pilgrims Way Motor Company. Its first chairman was Mr Edward Armitage of Greenhills, Tilford, and the works manager was Mr F. Leigh Martineau M.I.A.E. In 1906 a new Pilgrim car chassis was produced, known as the 25/30 hp, de- signed by Mr Martineau. It was unusual in having a 4-cylinder engine of some A rather optimistic architect’s drawing by Harold Falkner showing a much 5½ litres placed horizontally across the larger building than that actually constructed. (Farnham Museum collection). chassis, the cylinders pointing towards the front. The speed of the engine was varied by controlling the inlet valve lift with a handle below the steering wheel, and it drove through a pedal- operated 2-speed epicyclic gearbox to the rear axle via an enclosed chain. This large car had a wheelbase of only 8 ft 6 in, space being saved because the front seat was over the under-floor engine. The footbrake worked a band on the countershaft, and the hand lever applied large expanding rear-wheel brakes. The chassis was priced at £492-10s in 1909, but tyres were listed as £42 to £80 extra, presumably because many customers were choosy about their preferred make and size of tyres. Coachwork was also an additional cost, the style and supplier being

(Continued on page 6) Newsletter 215 August 2017 6

(Continued from page 5) chosen to suit the customer’s rquirements. A Pilgrim car equipped with bodywork by Thomas Warren of Wrecclesham was exhibited at the 1908 Motor Show at Olympia, where it was considered as one of the stars of the show. The number pro- duced was not large – perhaps 18 cars of this model. Competition from foreign imports was increasing, especially after Ford had in- troduced their Model ‘T’. This was also the time when ladies were starting to drive. So Pilgrims brought out a new lightweight car of 10/12 hp which became known as the “Little Pilgrim”. The car was exhibited at the 1908 Motor Show, where it attracted much attention, being A Pilgrim 11·9 hp outside the works. of another unusual design by Mr C.T. Hulme. It had a horizontally-opposed twin-cylinder engine of 1538 cc under the floor, driving forward to an epicyclic gearbox, from which the drive was taken to the front wheels through a differential mounted on a sub-frame. The car cost £185 complete. The new small car also formed the basis of a commercial vehicle. The van had a forward driving position with central steering column which, though common- place today, was revolutionary at the time. Because of the front-drive mecha- nism, the starting handle protruded from the rear! The spacious bodywork ought to have appealed to laundries and similar operators, yet it seems that not more than half a dozen were made. The last Pilgrim car was made in 1915, by which time the country was at war. How- ever, the firm had been bankrupt since 1908, mainly due to competition from cheaper foreign imported cars. By cutting down on staff and overheads, all debts were cleared by 1918. Many younger men left to volunteer for the forces, and women were employed throughout the war for production of machine tools and muni- tions. Mr Evrard Armitage took over in 1924; he had an engineering degree from Cambridge. He invented an oil pump called the Pilgrim Pump which was used on British motorcycles right up until 1967, when the firm was sold. Sub-contract work was undertaken, and large quantities of the Wall Autowheel were produced. This was a single wheel with a tiny engine, and a petrol tank mounted above it, designed to be attached to the rear of a pedal cycle. At Medal awarded to the Pilgrims Way Motor Company in 1906 some point the law changed such that (Farnham Museum) this ‘three-wheeler’ became liable for (Continued on page 7) Newsletter 215 August 2017 7

(Continued from page 6) tax, while the new models of two- wheeled auto-cycle were not taxed. In 1935 Pilgrims became substantial sub- contractors for Vickers at Weybridge. During the Second World War the Pil- grim factory made hydraulics for aero- plane undercarriages for Vickers, and also other secret weapons, in some of which Barnes Wallis was involved, at Weybridge. In 1959 the company name was changed to The Pilgrims Way Engineering Co., and Mr Adams joined the firm. He had invented a thief-proof wages bag, which exploded on pressing a lever, throwing out three long spikes and closing the handle, so that a thief attempting to run off found his fingers in a firm grip! However, it did not sell as well as expected. Women working in the factory in 1918. Overhead shafting was powered The firm was sold in 1967 when some of by a big gas engine, the individual machine tools being belt driven. the land was compulsorily purchased by An operator engaged the drive to his machine by swinging a long the Council for the construction of the Farnham Bypass. The buildings were wooden lever to shift the belt from a ‘loose’ to a ‘fast’ pulley. then occupied by Plasmec, a plastics Lighting was by gas, and heating by combustion stoves. company, until they were finally demol- ished in 1990.

This article appeared in a recent edition of the Journal of the Farnham & District Museum Society, and is reproduced with permission of the editor and author. ¤

The Wall Autowheel (www.oldbike.eu)

A watercolour by the local artist Marshall Barnes depicting the Pilgrim’s Way Works. The children are playing on ground now adjacent to the Farnham Bypass. Newsletter 215 August 2017 8

World War 2 Tank Dug Up at Denbies Vineyard by Jan Spencer

Covenanter Tank at Denbies Vineyard, July 2017; photo Jan Spencer

On Tuesday 23 May 2017 a tank was excavated at Denbies Vineyard, under the direction of Rick Wedlock, WW2 enthusiast. It is a British “Covenanter” model which had been used by the locally stationed Canadian forces in training exercises. It was buried when the troops left. Earlier, in the 1970s, a sister tank was dug up at Denbies and renovated. It is displayed in the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset. The Denbies tank will star in an episode of the History Channel series called “WW2 Treasure Hunters”. The presenters will be Suggs from Madness and Stephen Taylor, archaeologist. ¤

References: The tank being excavated; photo Denbies website Video short: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AzybfURolk Derelict Places web page by Brewtal: www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/military-sites/35158-denbies-covenanter-tank-surrey-june- 2017-a.html#.WV4st4grKUk98p Denbies Vineyard website: www.denbies.co.uk/extremely-rare-second-world-war-tank-has-been-dug-up-at-denbies/ Craig Moore’s www.tank-hunter.com website: http://tank-photographs.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/a13-cruiser-mkIII- mkV-covenanter-tank-bovington.html

Another Covenanter Tank from Denbies Vineyard, retrieved in the 1970s, now at the Tank Museum, Bovington; photo Craig Moore