Blists Hill: Blowing Engines
at Blists Hill Victorian Town, part of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums.
There were two blast furnace blowing engines at the Blists Hill ironworks. There are two at the site now, but only one of them (built in 1886) is original to the site. The other original engine was scrapped, while an 1851 Murdoch, Aitken & Co engine, ex-Lilleshall Iron and Steel Co, was saved and re-erected in the open air at Blists Hill.
The 1886 vertical engine, built by the Lilleshall Co., has survived in its original (north) engine house, but is not accessible to the public. The single steam cylinder was 33" diameter. Below this was the 72" diameter air cylinder. The stroke is 4 ft. Speed 20 rpm, steam pressure 42 psi, air pressure 4 - 4.5 psi. Air flow 4500 cu. ft. per min. Flywheel diameter 16 ft 3".
The blowing engine in the south engine house was of the beam type.