Beam engine moves again after 55 years!

Opening up the beam engine

The beam engine which sits within the Robinsons Shaft complex at the centre of Heartlands returned to motion last week after 55 years.

Robinsons Engine House at Heartlands.

Engineers have been exploring the possibilities of how we can power up the Robinsons pumping engine for when Heartlands opens. The Robinsons beam engine was used to continuously pump water from the mine from 1906 until 1955. Electric pumps were used at Robinsons after this time due to the cost of maintaining the Cornish pumping engines.

An engineer gets inside the beam engine to inspect its condition.