The Nature Woolen Mill - April 2014

[mockingbird]

Part 4 of the Mockingbird Tour

Okay so with Cunningplan asking me to upload more, here is part 4 of the tour, I shall allow cunningplan to add some history, as this "man flu" I have is taking it out of me sitting here writing

So after the fantastic mr fox house, we headed here in full swing trying to catch up with cunningplan and the fast welsh drivers, we finally made it and approached the site, not my usual type of thing but I can honestly say I loved it! shockingly. Cunningplan lead us in and we all split up and began snapping away, it was rather fun and enjoyable despite being up most of the night struggling to sleep, but im used to all nighters so this was a walk in the park being the 4 location of the second day ( I shall hold back on one location I did solo as Cunningplan recently put it up)

So anyway in the good company of Cunningplan here is my take on the remains of the cramped Woolen mill.

 

[Mikeymutt]

Amazing..love all the bits and bobs.and the looms.this really would be my sort of place if it was nearer,thanks for sharing

 

[Catmandoo]

WOW!!!! Seriously nice little place there. Great photos too.

 

[perjury saint]

Great set dude!! Love this place!!

 

[mockingbird]

cheers guys!

 

[UrbanX]

Mate those photos are unbelievable! Awesome stuff! Keep it coming!

 

[Dirus_Strictus]

Probably the best you have done in my opinion - your images really show how interested you were in the place! You have recorded all the important bits of the old drive system to perfection. Given the fact that I can see one electric motor lying around, did you see an old generator, with perhaps a dismantle engine, anywhere on site? It is just possible that the three pistons came from a three cylinder engine that powered the thing, but they do look somewhat small in diameter to be from the usual types of engines that were used - be they 3, 4 or 6 cylinder types. More likely to be from the head weaver's Austin 7 or Ford Popular on reflection.

Again thanks for this, a report that does this place justice and really tells the tale.

 

[DirtyJigsaw]

Very nice location indeed Mockingbird Thanks for sharing your photos

 

[cunningplan]

Probably the best you have done in my opinion - your images really show how interested you were in the place! You have recorded all the important bits of the old drive system to perfection. Given the fact that I can see one electric motor lying around, did you see an old generator, with perhaps a dismantle engine, anywhere on site? It is just possible that the three pistons came from a three cylinder engine that powered the thing, but they do look somewhat small in diameter to be from the usual types of engines that were used - be they 3, 4 or 6 cylinder types. More likely to be from the head weaver's Austin 7 or Ford Popular on reflection.

Again thanks for this, a report that does this place justice and really tells the tale.

I've been a little stumped about what the pistons were for! other than the pistons I have been unable to find any sort of engine on site.The electric motor was driven by a second smaller wheel at the other end of the mill (Pottern? wheel comes to mind) This seams to have been a faster wheel to give enough speed the turn the motor. I found some diagrams of the layout.

 

[Stealthstar79]

Really nice!
Enjoyed that lots ..

 

[flyboys90]

Incredible! what an amazing collection of great images,thanks for sharing.

 

[LittleOz]

Looks like a great place to finish off your Welsh tour, thanks for sharing

 

[mockingbird]

thanks everyone for such nice feedback!

LittleOz I havent finished yet! lol

 

[cunningplan]

It seams waiting for mockingbird is the norm, these city types just aint used to driving around Wales, the amount of times I had the stop and wait for their poor little car to come around the last corner or over the last hill/mountain I lost count. Just over a hour after leaving Sly, we were in our parking place ready for the nice little walk up river to the mill. Mocking as said it was not his type of thing but at the end I think he was happy and he has taken some cracking photos of the place.
This is only hearsay, but it looks like the mill closed in the very early 60s after losing out to the bigger mills. The place was bought by someone who wanted to turn it into a museum, the council wanted them to do so much it was not worthwhile so its just been standing like this for the last 50 years.

I used this to try out my new 10/20 lens and will try not to duplicate any of mockings photos.

Hopefully we wont have to wait for the final part

 

[mockingbird]

lovely details on these shots matey, yeah I enjoyed it I admit it, next part in a few weeks i like being fashionably late, but to an explore im way to early!

 

[Mikeymutt]

I can't stop looking at this post.it's by far my favourite on here for a long time..You have both captured the atmosphere of the place so well.this would be worth a journey across the country for me just to see this pure delight.

 

[steveT]

I like the last pic of the water wheel.

 

[Dirus_Strictus]

Cunningplan.
Thanks for the diagrams on the drive system and your superb photographs also. From your diagrams, the 'motor' could be an electric motor to power the old original drive system instead of the water wheel, or it could be a generator to provide electricity for lighting.

 

[cunningplan]

Cunningplan.
Thanks for the diagrams on the drive system and your superb photographs also. From your diagrams, the 'motor' could be an electric motor to power the old original drive system instead of the water wheel, or it could be a generator to provide electricity for lighting.

Where I got the diagram from, it said it was just a generator to provide the lighting, it would have been too small to do anything else.
If you saw the size of the motor and associated equipment they had to use down at the Tone Mill you would know what I mean. (I didn't take a photo of the whole motor but did the rheostat)
This is the end of the motor

and this is one of the rheostats

 

[flyboys90]

Superb collection of photos.