NEWSLETTER STEAMING BANCROFT Mill engine AGAIN! Museum. Bancroft resumed steaming on 16th March with a few minutes delay in starting; punctual steam Gillians Lane, Nr. raising is never easy after a long shut-down. In fact we also had to , Lancs. BB18 5QR undergo a boiler inspection soon www.bancoftmill.org.uk after 1.00pm, the Cornish boiler is in really good shape, well fitted for March 16th 2014 Ian, 01695 424166 another season’s steaming.

The Society, performers included Sid Calderbank, Mark Dowding, Sally James and Ron with poetry, and a newcomer to Bancroft; young and talented Marcus Whitehead. Sid and Mark (Right) regaled us with song and stories, here (R) accompanied by Sid’s “father’s bones” that he always plays with aplomb. Sally and Ron write and perform their own poetry, an impressive

addition to the group. Sid and Mark also put on an impromptu,

1 www.facebook.com/BancroftMill, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bancroft_Shed, Mail: [email protected] unaccompanied duet in the cafeteria as our staff hadn’t had the chance to hear them performing in the engine hall, Its usual to have a good turn-out on the first steaming, 2014 was no exception and at times it was not easy to move around. It will be recalled that Mrs. Marie Foulds brought members of Colne Noyna Inner Wheel for a photoshoot a few weeks ago, and she returned with her husband Mr. David Foulds to see the museum in action on Sunday. His family have a long association with the industry in NE Lancashire supplying lifts for mills, and lifting equipment generally, all with a high standard of engineering. Their lifts have been almost de rigeur installations for Lancashire CC buildings, all other things being equal. David was delighted to start the engine. It was discovered that our Chairman, Arnold Bettess, and Mrs. Foulds were colleagues at one time in education. It was also a happy moment for us to bring three ladies together who had all lived in New Zealand at one time. Here we have (L to R) Mrs. Hargreaves-Scott, Mrs. Wesson, both from Wharfe-dale and Mrs. Guest who is no stranger to Bancroft, very busy swapping memories. Older readers will recall that Mr. Guest’s father, Joe, was General Manager at Rolls Royce Ltd., Barnoldswick in the 1950’s when Sir Frank Whittle’s designs were being developed into new and more powerful jet engines. Martin Guest tells us that his father felt that his happiest days of his life were spent at Bankfield on Skipton Road, Barlickers take note!

Left: There are those who believe that engineers have a strange sense of humour, this was seen ‘en passant’ at another engine museum that had better remain nameless......

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Taken by our ,

The happy throng seen here is from Queen Street Mill at Harlesyke, they spent the afternoon with us. “Queen Street” is a near with virtually the whole of its shed intact and still equipped with its and working steam engine.

SMITH BROTHERS AND EASTWOOD ENGINE – The Bradley Project. Considerable progress has been made with this engine since the positive involvement of John Reid who, retired, has lately had time and opportunity to take the project forward in many ways. Indeed its progress has been almost meteoric in recent times and the engine now looks like an engine even though there is yet considerable work to do. John has negotiated with Hoerbiger, and that company has donated glands from the original drawings to equip the cylinders, and organised many other parts. This was just before we had a “Bradley Day” last year in order to present the engine and we expect to repeat that event in 2014.

Library picture of John preparing lifting equipment for welding in 2010. High integrity welding is one of his many skills.

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Here, (Left) John is seen, in good company with our Chairman, Arnold Bettess and David Normanshire (R), a founder member and another to whom we all owe a great debt of gratitude for years of tending the building, its facilities and the estate.

Library picture

Having said all this we mustn’t forget Ian Ashworth who has been exclusively busy with this Bradley project from the beginning in 2008 when there was no fixed electricity supply to the building nor any safe lifting equipment. He’s endured hours of deep drilling through concrete with the consequent dust and vibration; neither should we forget an injury he sustained whilst busy with the bedplate. Ian believes in “bringing them up young” and has been accompanied for over a year by his young son, Josh, (soon to be nine) seen here finish painting the Bradley main castings. His co-worker is Philip Duxbury an engineering apprentice working for a company in . Ian Ashworth has always had the constraints of running a business and has not been able to devote more than half a day a week at Bancroft to the project. It should be appreciated that there are many selfless volunteers at Bancroft who also give their time and skills in abundance. I intend to include regular features of this type in the newsletter from now onwards, John’s contribution had been needed and is much in the visitor’s eye, hence he is the first of quite a few that I hope to feature.

Lancashire Dotcom Walkers (www.lancashirewalks.com) on the next page.

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I held this newsletter over for an day as we were hosting the Lancashire Dotcom Walkers on Tuesday morning and thus I could be able to include details whilst the news was still fresh. Ian McKay and I were ready at Bancroft a while before the expected arrival time and viewing the weather anxiously as it was inclement to say the least. Our visitors were intending to leave their cars at Letciffe Park and walk down to Bancroft, then later walk over Weets Hill before returning to Letcliffe. Our first arrivals came into the yard by car – having become disorientated and spotting the museum as they passed. Most other arrivals stuck to plan and arrived dripping, ready for a hot drink. The party of around 35, after its tribulations, were delightful guests, interested in the museum and in no hurry to brave the elements again. We split the group into two parties that each saw the whole site including Ian performing on the loom. It seemed that it would be an unkind act to turn them out into the weather so they agreed to take their picnic in our cafeteria before giving Weets Hill a miss and returning to their cars.

Photo: Bob Clare, intrepid walk leader!

Don’t forget Association of Engineers talk on the Crossness Engines designed to pump sewage from the city of London using the largest beam engines of their type in the world. Date: Wednesday 2nd April 2014, 7.30pm prompt. Location: Phoenix Service Solutions, Cedar House, Aire Valley Business Centre, Lawkholme Lane, Keighley. BD21 3BB. Full details in previous newsletter 16.03.14.

Our final page carries a note from Lancashire Sid, please read on!

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A Lancashire Garland - songs, poems and stories of Rossendale, St Annes,and the Fylde

Date: Wednesday 26/03/2014 (19:00 PM to 21:00 PM)

Details Sid Calderbank brings to life the works of the Lancashire literary legends Edwin Waugh, Samuel Laycock and others followed by a pie and pea supper (vegetarian alternative available).

Ticket required

Tickets £2 each, price includes pie and pea supper. Call in to Bacup library, telephone 08450530005 or e-mail [email protected] to reserve your ticket for collection.

Where

Bacup Library St James Square Bacup Lancs OL13 9AH

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