I have paid two visits to the site of Dolcoath Mine in the past 6 months or so. Though I have photographed many Cornish Mine over many years - I have hardly paid much attention to Dolcoath once described as the Queen of Cornish Mines as it became the deepest and largest mine in Cornwall. The mine closed around 1920 as it was becoming worked out. A new company was reconstituted in 1923 to work the mine via a new shaft. Eventually part of the mine was amalgamated underground with the nearby South Crofty.
My first visit in October 2017 was in the area around Harriett Shaft. In recent years the remains of the original winding engine have been reinstalled at the site along with a German made "Cornish" boiler.
The next view shows the cylinder bed stone in Wheal Harriett engine house. The engine house built in 1860 originally housed a 60" Cornish pumping engine built by Perran Foundry. The engine later received a 65" cylinder in 1865.
Below Wheal Harriett Shaft engine house, with the former Miners' Dry - now the Elim Church seen to the left.
Wheal Harriett Shaft, Dolcoath Mine. The large building on the right is now the Elim Church is the former Miners' Dry.
My second visit was in March 2018 when I visited New East Shaft and New Sump Shaft sites.
L2018_0523 - Dolcoath Mine, New East Shaft, Camborne, Cornwall by John Luxton, on Flickr
New East Shaft engine house contained a rotative beam engine. A secondary beam pumped water from adit level to provide a supply for the ore dressing floors. A new steam winder was installed in 1894 which resulted in the house being abandoned. In 1913 the house was converted to an electricity substation.
New East Shaft engine house contained a rotative beam engine. A secondary beam pumped water from adit level to provide a supply for the ore dressing floors. A new steam winder was installed in 1894 which resulted in the house being abandoned. In 1913 the house was converted to an electricity substation, with the boiler house right accommodating the switch gear. The legacy of the later use of the engine house as an electricity sub station is clearly visible as many electricity power lines converge on the site to this day. The Cornish mining industry was an early adopter of electric power and assisted the spread to homes and other businesses around the mines.
Interior of the boiler house which became the switch gear house when the engine house was converted to an electricity sub station in 1913.
Another view of the boiler and later switch gear house.
New East Shaft Engine House interior which housed a rotative beam engine used for winding and pumping. The pipes inserted in the gable ends of the building were provided for the power lines to enter the building to connect with a transformer inside.
New East Shaft engine house extension which is believed to have been the boiler house until the building was converted into a substation in 1913 when it became a switch gear house.
New Sump Shaft compressor house. The house built in 1886 housed a Holman Compressor for powering rock drills.
New Sump Shaft compressor house
Another view of the compressor house
Finally a March 2018 view of the Wheal Harriett shaft whim (winding engine)
L2018_0580 - Dolcoath Mine - Harriett Shaft by John Luxton, on Flickr
I will return at a future date to explore and document more of the remains at Dolcoath.
For a full gallery of images of which the above are only a selection please click here: https://www.jhluxton.com/Industrial-Archaeology/Mines-of-Devon-Cornwall/Dolcoath-Mine/
John
My first visit in October 2017 was in the area around Harriett Shaft. In recent years the remains of the original winding engine have been reinstalled at the site along with a German made "Cornish" boiler.
The next view shows the cylinder bed stone in Wheal Harriett engine house. The engine house built in 1860 originally housed a 60" Cornish pumping engine built by Perran Foundry. The engine later received a 65" cylinder in 1865.
Below Wheal Harriett Shaft engine house, with the former Miners' Dry - now the Elim Church seen to the left.
Wheal Harriett Shaft, Dolcoath Mine. The large building on the right is now the Elim Church is the former Miners' Dry.
My second visit was in March 2018 when I visited New East Shaft and New Sump Shaft sites.
L2018_0523 - Dolcoath Mine, New East Shaft, Camborne, Cornwall by John Luxton, on Flickr
New East Shaft engine house contained a rotative beam engine. A secondary beam pumped water from adit level to provide a supply for the ore dressing floors. A new steam winder was installed in 1894 which resulted in the house being abandoned. In 1913 the house was converted to an electricity substation.
New East Shaft engine house contained a rotative beam engine. A secondary beam pumped water from adit level to provide a supply for the ore dressing floors. A new steam winder was installed in 1894 which resulted in the house being abandoned. In 1913 the house was converted to an electricity substation, with the boiler house right accommodating the switch gear. The legacy of the later use of the engine house as an electricity sub station is clearly visible as many electricity power lines converge on the site to this day. The Cornish mining industry was an early adopter of electric power and assisted the spread to homes and other businesses around the mines.
Interior of the boiler house which became the switch gear house when the engine house was converted to an electricity sub station in 1913.
Another view of the boiler and later switch gear house.
New East Shaft Engine House interior which housed a rotative beam engine used for winding and pumping. The pipes inserted in the gable ends of the building were provided for the power lines to enter the building to connect with a transformer inside.
New East Shaft engine house extension which is believed to have been the boiler house until the building was converted into a substation in 1913 when it became a switch gear house.
New Sump Shaft compressor house. The house built in 1886 housed a Holman Compressor for powering rock drills.
New Sump Shaft compressor house
Another view of the compressor house
Finally a March 2018 view of the Wheal Harriett shaft whim (winding engine)
L2018_0580 - Dolcoath Mine - Harriett Shaft by John Luxton, on FlickrI will return at a future date to explore and document more of the remains at Dolcoath.
For a full gallery of images of which the above are only a selection please click here: https://www.jhluxton.com/Industrial-Archaeology/Mines-of-Devon-Cornwall/Dolcoath-Mine/
John
