S.E.A.M.S. at Coultershaw Beam Pump June 2024

By Richard Amos

I have not been to Coultershaw for many years so decided to take my Japy and water pump along to this event organised by Andy Skinner.

I was surprised at how much work had been carried out around the site and how much room they now had for exhibitions. Most notable change was the installation of a very large 22Kw (?) Archimedes screw generator operating from the ‘fall’ of water as well as a museum building housing a display of water pumping equipment.

There was a new  and spacious tea room and I had to have one of the cream teas on offer. About a dozen engines attended giving an interesting cross section of engine types and driven equipment and there was a good deal of interest from the visiting public.

The Skinner family had a newly acquired Lion engine which after a little adjustment, was running but still needed a bit of ‘fettling’. Their 3hp Amanco proved to be a little more recalcitrant as the mag was rather poorly.  Our Facebook site administrator Sean Murrell had a small compact 4hp Deutz diesel engine of 1938 which he had just acquired and after a smoky start, was running well.

I can only say the four vehicles on show around our side of the tea room were immaculate, a Massey Ferguson, two Fords and an Opperman motorised cart.

The close proximity of our ‘mechanicals’ and the natural beauty of the area around the beam pump and pond seemed to augment each other, and it was a very relaxed day enjoying the sunshine.