Somerset water wheel

[Guy Dewdney]

Hi

I have been re-building a waterwheel in Somerset, with the aim to make leccy from it. Its now been re-built, and the leat repaired, and is now up and running.

heres some pics

1) as found
2) as found
3) knackered bronze bearing on the outside - replaced with glued on sleeve inside a self aligning rolelr bearing.
4) buckets removed, and painting started.
5) replacing buckets
6) spinning!
7) slightly out of date pic of the drive. The chain is new, on an old massive 5 foot sprocket, which drives the layshaft, which drives the Ginlong alternator on the floor in front of the camera.

[Rob Beckers]

That's absolutely beautiful Guy! Whereabouts do you live (country)?
I'm originally from the south-east of the Netherlands, where we have lots of these waterwheels around. Many like yours, renovated and put back to service for electricity or milling. Many dating back hundreds of years (buildings from the 1500's are not rare at all around there), though I wouldn't know how much of it is original. You know the story of "I have my grandfather's axe; my father replaced the handle, and I replaced the blade"...

I love those waterwheels!

-RoB-

[Guy Dewdney]

The mill is (aparently) 1722 - but that is a little unsubstatiated.

It was expanded in the 19thC considerably, and the wheel dates from 1875 - 1900 (no dates or manufacturer)

The leat system is controlled by no less than 8 sluice gates, all made by a company called Garnish and Lemon from Barnstaple (the next big town along the coast). The wheel is a very similar design to other G&L wheels in the area - but oddly no makes nameplate has been found.

It was converted from a corn mill to electricity generation in 1910, then fell into disrepair in 1938. We bought it in 2007 and have been making leccy for 6 months.