Mill Meece General Interest Rally

SUNDAY 19TH JUNE 2022

Report by Barry Job

The Mill Meece Pumping Engine Trust hold a number of events during the rally season, including their 'General Interest Rally', which was held on Sunday 19th June. The venue is a pumping station lying some ten miles to the south of Stoke-on- Trent and its purpose is to supply the 'Pottery' towns with wholesome drinking water.

The heart of the site is an engine house containing two horizontal tandem compound steam engines, the first by Ashton Frost was installed in 1914. With the demand for water increasing, a second similar engine by Hathorn Davey was installed in 1928. Between them these engines supplied 5 million gallons of water every day. The site's boreholes still supply water but now by electrically powered pumps.

In addition to the engine house is a boiler house, workshops, winch house, weigh bridge and site attendant's dwelling, now used as a cafe.

There was a good selection of stationary engines exhibited. The only gas engine, a 1/4hp Stuart, was brought along by Tony Green.

Appropriately for the venue; a large number of engines were driving water pumps, including Roy Morris's 1954 Lister D. This was unusual in that it still has the original tube actually containing the instruction manual. The tube is retained by the bolts holding the crankcase inspection plate in place. When the plate is removed and the tube put to one side, it is easy not to reinstate the tube when the plate is bolted back into place, hence they are rare today. The engine was belted to a Lister piston pump. There has been some discussion on the possible duty of this pump, the fact that it is made of bronze suggests it pumped corrosive liquid, but this has yet to be confirmed.

Brian Mellor's Petter Universal was direct coupled to an unusual pump made by Edwinson. An Amanco Hired Man, brought along by Keith Greatbatch, was driving a Lee Howl piston pump, whilst Dan Ditchburn's Amanco Chore Boy was belted to a Pulsometer impellor pump. A popular pump; the Lister Domestic was exhibited by Tony Stubbs, driven by his Wolseley WD11.

Staying on the water theme; Brian Eagles delighted the public with his water display which had overflowing buckets and rotating cups which rang bells. It is called 'Flowers In The Rain', which older enthusiasts will remember was the first record played on Radio 1 in 1968, power was provided by an air cooled BSA engine.

The event was well supported by an excellent selection of vintage and classic cars, indeed there was some difficulty finding parking space for all of the cars. The weather was good and the public turned out in good numbers. This is an excellent venue, for more information see the website at www.millmeecepumpingstation.co.uk

Roy Morris' Lister D type was supplied to Goodwin Barsby of Leicester in June 1954 to drive a stone crusher. Here it is driving a Lister pump which, unusually, is made from bronze. This Stuart 1/4hp gas engine was made in Henley-on-Thames in 1910 and was brought along by Tony Green.