Ellenroad Steam Museum

2003 - repairs to the Lancashire boiler

The furnaces of the Lancashire boiler have given good service since the project began but are now in urgent need of replacement. With the aid of a generous grant, the work will be carried out after the Christmas steaming.

The furnaces are fired by underfeed stokers (which push coal up through the fire). Electric fans force air through holes in the cast-iron retorts, so that the combustion temperature is about 1200°C. At this temperature, even cast iron is degraded, so that the holes (tuyères) in the cast iron rim of the retorts have enlarged and distorted. This allows a lot of ash to fall into the blast box, where it chokes the air passage and causes difficulty with firing.

The current stokers were donated by Oldham Hospital when their obsolete Lancashire boilers were replaced by modern plant. The refractory components, although in good condition, were far from new and, about six years ago, we replaced the first set with the best of a second (already well used) from our store. This second set now needs to be replaced.

The manufacturers of the underfeed stokers (Bennis Combustion Engineers), have a stock of the parts we need. As there are now very few Lancashire boilers still in service (all in museums like ours) and even fewer with underfeed stokers, we are fortunate that we can still obtain them. Even so, the cost of replacement for the two furnaces is more than £3000.

Enter Rochdale Township Committee! This sub-committee of Rochdale Council allocates grants from a small fund to worthy causes in Littleborough, Milnrow and Newhey. We applied for help with the replacement of the refractory components and were awarded a generous grant of £3000, which is the cost of materials. This means that we can pay Bennis, from our own limited resources, to install the parts for us (£500).

When the work is complete we shall be able to continue to operate our original coal-fired boiler for the next ten years at least. We are most grateful to Rochdale Township Committee, which clearly recognises the importance of Ellenroad to our country’s industrial heritage.

The Lancashire boiler is central to our operation. People may come to see the steam engines, but, without the boiler, the engines are lifeless. Firing the boiler is the most skilled part of our operation. Our greatest satisfaction is when, having raised steam early in the morning, we open the crown valve and listen as the engine house comes alive.