| Description | Water Works Engines (27 items).
1103. Chelsea Water Works, London. Nov., Dec. 1777, Jan. 1778. 26 items.
Single-acting engine, with 27 inch [?] cylinder, 8 foot stroke, chain connection.
Drawings of the previous atmospheric engine, pumps etc.:
Elevation of the west front of the engine house (2 coloured drawings); "Section of the building and thro' the Centre of the boiler, cylinder etc. shewing the General Construction of the Engine" - 2 drawings (these drawings show an atmospheric engine with a 28 inch cylinder with the boiler directly below); "Section thro' the Centres of the Forcing and Lifting Barrels, Air Vessel etc." (1 coloured and 1 partially shaded drawing); "Plan of Water Pipes etc." (showing valves, handles etc.); "Plan of the Barrels, Well, Air Vessel, Main etc."; "Plan of the Water Pipes etc." and "Plan of the Barrels etc." (copies of the previous 2 drawings on 1 sheet).
Set of numbered drawings:
1 - general section of the engine and boiler, Dec. 1777 (coloured drawing); 2 - plan of the engine and boiler, Jan. 1778 (coloured and uncoloured copies); 3 - plan of the second floor (not dated or coloured); [No. 4 missing]; 5 - cylinder, condenser, chain link etc. marked "Chelsea and Shadwell Engines", Nov. 1777 (2 copies); 6 - plan of the working gear marked "Chelsea and Shadwell Engines", Nov. 1777; 7 - side view of the working gear marked "Chelsea and Shadwell.".
Undated sections and plans:
2 coloured general sections of the engine; uncoloured and undated general section, plan and plan of the second floor, all marked "Chelsea"; coloured plan of the second floor showing different layout of boiler.
Also drawing of cylinder marked "Chelsea 1777"; unmarked plan and side view of the working gear; small plan of boiler marked "Boiler 1791, 1808, 1823".
Original Portfolio or 'Book' No. 13 [in the Drawing Office Index only].
Catalogue of Old Engines p. 176.
For the Chelsea Water Works. Pumping engine, Chelsea, London. This engine appears to have replaced one of two atmospheric engines at the water works, and was of a similar design to that for Shadwell Water Works [see Portfolio 5/1104]. The Drawing Office Index states that this engine had a 27 inch cylinder, and the drawings of the cylinder in this portfolio also show a diameter of 27 inches. However the List of Engines made at Soho states that it had a 30 inch cylinder, while Dickinson & Jenkins describe it as having a 20 inch.
Several engines were bought by Chelsea Water Works following this one. John Farey described an engine with a fly wheel and rotative motion erected in 1782 at Pimlico Wharf [A Treatise on the Steam Engine, p. 352]; when he inspected it in 1803-1804 it had a crank. Dickinson & Jenkins describe this engine as being similar to the rotative one proposed for the New River Co. in 1782-1783 [see Portfolio 5/1090], but no drawings specifically for Chelsea have been found. A 48 inch engine was erected at Pimlico Wharf in 1803-1804 [see Portfolio 5/1116]. In 1810 the firm bought a 50 inch engine [see Portfolio 5/1117], and in 1821 a 54 inch engine was orderedand erected alongside the 50 inch [see Portfolio 5/1115].
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