The Fabulous 1812 Crofton Steam Engine

[@WilHenDavis]

I used to live in Abingdon (just South of Oxford) in the early 1970s and have fond memories of visiting Crofton Beam Engines on "In Steam" weekends and remember being amazed as to how quiet it was, the noise-level being just a "whoosh" as a ton or so of water was lifted on each stroke. Amazing video, thank you so much for making it, and sharing it with the world! (I now live in N.E. U.S.A)

[@twistedyogert]

I feel like the people who work there are like monks who are tirelessly preserving all the information about these machines so that the knowledge is not lost to history. Seems like a real labor of love keeping that giant happy.

[@luisrolon6421]

if my life was spent looking after this beautiful thing i would consider it a life well spent. thank you for this video.

[@douro20]

This engine was pressed back into work in 2009 when the electric pumps which replaced it broke down on the Kennet & Avon Canal. It worked flawlessly for the entire time the electric pumps were down, burning a ton and a half of coal a day.

[@TheBas1984]

I was there a couple of days ago, and it is really nice to see in motion! What strikes me is the lack of noise! it runs really smooth!

[@Chr.U.Cas1622]

👍👌👏 Simply fantastic! Thanks a lot for making teaching explaining recording editing uploading and sharing this fantastic old example of ingenuity. Best regards luck and health to all involved people.

[@raymondj8768]

i can really watch these babies work all day . i think we were much better off with mechanical stuff then computers ! thanks for the great video i really enjoyed that

[@arandomsteve2251]

Im a massive computer geek, but no computer will ever be quite as awe-inspiring, (or long lived!) as these great old engines.

[@flyingmerkel6]

@@arandomsteve2251 My 10 year old computer is considered an antique from a dark past!

[@JimTLonW6]

Most impressive video, that's a real work of art to get those titles on the machinery especially the valve gear. I've visited scores of times without getting the hang of what's going on with the valve gear, but now I know! There was a recent break down with the electric pumps, and the canal people had to get the steam pumps going to maintain the level. The story is still up, if you google 'gazette herald crofton steaming to the rescue' you should find it.

[@harryolynx]

Thank you very much, it's a fine compliment! I've tried myself to understand the working of this engine and to show that in my video. Well and it's really pretty to hear, that a nearly 200 years old steam engine could do the emergency job for broken down electric pumps two years ago (Gazette & Herald). There is nothing like steam energy! Greetings from Austria!

[@hovanti]

Absolutely excellent video; thank you so much! The words on screen really aided my understanding of this fine old machine. Thanks for the work you put into this.

[@harryolynx]

Thank you very much for your friendly comment! A pleasure to read!

[@twistedyogert]

Jay Leno had this joke. *"Before TV, people just sat around and watched their steam engine run."*

[@Charles8043]

I contacted the Crofton Trust and asked them if they had considered putting your KZbin hyperlink on their website and they had a distinctly "not invented here" mentality. I think you have the best Crofton video around. Sacramento, California

[@harryolynx]

Thank you very much! (The trust's gentlemen obviously are very conservative.) Greetings from Austria to CA!

Really amazing. Astosnished by the machine and by your video. I hope one day I can see this live, in person. Regards from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

[@harryolynx]

Thank you very much for watching and your interesting story comparing rather modern electric and 200 years old steam pumps. I've read about, but I didn't know the details. It's absolutely amazing, this nearly indestructible classic steam technology! Greetings from Austria!

[@dlrion]

Awesome! You get 5 points for the steam works - and another 10 for the outstanding musical selection - I LOVE organ music!

[@IronClad292]

Your video is excellent and very educational. This steam engine is a very fine example of early 19th century mechanics and technology. Thanks very much for a great video.

[@harryolynx]

Thank Y O U for watching, 'thumbs up' and your kind comment! Happy New Year and greetings, Harald

[@harryolynx]

@SteamCrane Thank you very much, it's a real pleasure, to get such a comment!

[@SteamCrane]

Possibly the best video anywhere of these wonderful engines! Thanks for posting!

[@harryolynx]

When the Pumping Station is in steam, it actually carries out the job for which it was built, the electrically powered pumps that now normally do the job being switched off. Some years ago, when the electric pumps had a real failure, the steam engines did the pumping job for a couple of days without any problem. Thanks for viewing and fine comment!

[@movax20h]

Masterpiece of engineering. Despite it initially been build as Watt's engine in 1812, it is not Watt's engine now. This engine cycle and primary design was invented by Jonathan Hornblower in principle few decades earlier, but revieved and commercialized by Arhur Woolf around 1800 (after Watt patents expired, for governor, parallel motion linkage, and few other things). The currently operating engine in Cofton Pumping Statuion was actually rebuild and modified into Cornish engine around 1840. They are more efficient.

[@amazingdecks1]

40 seconds in I was going to complain about the "music" over the real music of the motion. However, the video was so good that I continued and I'm glad I did - excellent work. Thanks. (But no music next time please!)

[@harryolynx]

You're welcome. You obviously are interested in old engines. ad 1) the frame and beam were casted, the rods are probably made of wrought iron. ad 2) low pressure engines used hemp sealings, high pressure engines demanded metal sealing rings. ad 3) and 4) have a look at the page of 'Alex den Ouden' concerning lubrication of early steam engines.

[@harryolynx]

Thank you for your friendly feedback and the 2 'thumbs up' (this one and the other one for my Crossness sewage station video)! Well appreciated!

[@allanegleston4931]

i love these old machines . so glad t they were perserved

[@harryolynx]

And it does the same. work since 200 years. Thank you too Doug for watching and friendly comment! Harry

[@sparkyprojects]

Great to see a decent video of this engine, i've been there several years ago while it was in steam. Interesting story, the canal was having some work done, so the electric pumps were turned off so the stretch could be drained, they had to finish before a bank holiday, when it came to starting the electric pumps to fill the canal, they had several problems, so they called in the team to start up the engines to fill the canal again, so much for modern technology being beaten by steam :D

[@harryolynx]

Thanks for watching and the friendly comment! Greetings from Austria

[@harryolynx]

@dlrion That's very good to hear such a comment: Thank you and greetings from Austria/Europe

[@harryolynx]

@Initefly I am flattered at your comment, thank you very much! Cheers from Austria, H.

[@tbone1143]

Amazing technology for the early 1800s. Thank you for sharing.....Doug...=)

[@harryolynx]

@WilHenDavis Thank you very much for watching and the friendly feedback. Greetings from Austria!

[@davidfrobel7582]

verry good vidio,,nice to see such an old steam engine still working,thanks for poasting

[@harryolynx]

@DaBoogie049 .. war im Prinzip Thomas Newcomen, der als Erster gebrauchsfähige Dampfpumpen für Bergwerke baute. Die Dampfmaschine wurde dann von Superman James Watt perfektioniert. Deren Steuerung (Crofton-Machine!) war danach 'zig Jahre state of the art. Einfach genial, dieses Automatisieren der manuellen Steuerung, die aber auch das händische Steuern der Maschine erlaubt (z.B. beim Anfahren!). Grüße aus Österreich!

[@harryolynx]

Hello Thomas, just got your printed book by Amazon . It's very well made and illustrated, congratulations! For me personally it's a rather unknown interesting chapter of US history. I like it! Greetings from Austria, Harry

harryolynx: Greetings from Brazil and keep up you beautiful work.

[@harryolynx]

@MrNik1001 No, this kind of engine was exclusively built for pumping use and did not need a flywheel - the downwards-stroke was done by steam pressure and condenser's vacuum, the upwards-stroke by the weight of the pump plunger, similar to the eldest atmospheric Newcomen steam engines of the 18th century. In spite (or rather because) of this simple construction these engines did, as you can see, a very good longtime job. Thanks for watching and greetings from Austria.

[@Donkelo]

This is a superb video, thanks so much for posting this!

[@meanjean214]

Really beautifully done video

[@harryolynx]

@ArchitectOfRapture No, it is electric light in the basement, but you are right, the water tubing there looks similar to gas pipes. I don't think, that ever lighting has been done in Crofton station by gas lamps. Gas lighting in the 19th century usually needed gas works, which were situated only in bigger towns.

[@harryolynx]

Yes it does. The development of steam engines shows more and more sophisticated ways to save steam by variable setting of the steam cutoff, e.g. Corliss valve gears. The first Boulton & Watt engines couldn't use expanded steam because of the rather low steam pressure. (With the technology in the late years of the 18th century it was not possible to handle a higher steam pressure - boiler explosions etc.). Thanks for watching and comment!

[@harryolynx]

@Donkelo Thanks for your friendly comment and greetings to Sweden!

[@pauljeavons8663]

I would much rather hear the sound of the engine and the people talking, than the loud pointless music.

[@dickJohnsonpeter]

One thing is always certain, and that's no one wants music in videos. Yet everyone still keeps putting music in their videos.

[@harryolynx]

@formiga1950 Thank you for your kind feedback. And sorry, the allowance for making comments only with approval was not made on purpose - I have just changed it. Greetings to Rio from Austria!

[@thomasallison6026]

This is a fantastic video. History Press is publishing my Steamboat Stories about Hudson River steamboats in October. They are all gone and this is the one place I can see what one of those engines really looked like, no photograhy in early days, later, no body cared. Animation is great, will you give me permission to include photos I've taken on my TV from your youtube, I'lll give you lots of credit and tell everyone to go to your site and see for themselves. You love your steam

[@harryolynx]

Thanks for your very friendly comment. I hereby give you the permission to use photos of my Crofton-video in your documentation (with the usual information about the youtube-source). But would you be so kind and send me a link after publication. I'm sure, I'll like the story. Good luck and greetings from Europe

[@harryolynx]

@206Wheels Thanks!

[@harryolynx]

That's what some other people say too! Would you please excuse my late answer, your posting is not listed in my letterbox. Thanks for watching and greetings from Austria!

[@DaBoogie049]

Ja der Mechanismus ist wirklich killer

[@MrJOHNdx]

Outstanding video! Thanks!

[@harryolynx]

@MrJOHNdx Thanks a lot for your comment!

[@navelriver]

I want one!!!

[@206Wheels]

A-frickin'-mazing!

[@harryolynx]

@ian29d Thank you, I am pleased! Some months ago I had no idea, how these engines really work, but when I saw the other youtube videos, I tried to understand the 'how it works' . I'm sure, if you are really interested in these subjects, you will soon know them better, than I do. Cheers, HarryO

[@thomasallison6026]

Hi Harry, I asked permission to use stills from the video for my book Hudson River Steamboat Catastrophes Contests and Collisions. It's now available as a book and as"" e book on Amazon.com hope you'll enjoy it. My editor said that it was very unusual to use stills from youtubes as illustrations. hope it brings you a lot more hits. J. Thomas Allison Albany NY

[@oldsteamguy]

Neat

[@buddyanddaisy123]

Great video! I have a few questions: the engine predates steel production-I assume most of it is cast iron? (2) the seals and packing-did they use leather as the material? (3) lubrication-the attendants keep this engine clean-what was originally used (tallow)?(4) the bearings on the crank beam/rods-babbit? Thanks again!

[@twistedyogert]

Thinking of making one yourself? 😄 Considering that making steel on an industrial scale wouldn't be perfected until the 1850s, I'd imagine that it would probably be made of cast iron. But would leather hold up under pressure? Oil as we know it today wouldn't be practical until the first wells were dug in the 1850s. Before that, animal fat was probably used.

[@DaBoogie049]

2:12 Der Typ, der sich das ausgedacht hat...

[@buttole]

Is there not a flywheel on this? It doesn't move like it does...?

[@محمدقدوتىوغايتينهضةأمتى]

كم يعز علي ان انقل هذا العلم الي بلادي الاسلامية، ولكن حكامنا الخونة هم من يمنعوننا من التنفيذ #قوميتي_مسلم

[@curtislowe4577]

Great video except... sssslllloooowwww the diagram and actual engine motion waaaaay, waaaaay down. Some of us are a bit on the slow side.

[@Gydoko]

so the engine saves steam by using expanding steam?

[@ArchitectOfRapture]

Was that a gas lamp in the basement next to the pipe above the cold water injector rod?