in Kendal
1845 'Novel Weathercock. The inhabitants of Kendal have had their attention attracted to a weathercock recently erected on the belfry of the Lound Foundry, in the occupation of Messrs. John Stephenson & Co., the contractors for the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway. It is a neat representation of a locomotive engine; but the novelty connected with this mechanical design, is the emission of steam from its diminutive chimney at regular intervals, in the same manner as locomotive travelling upon a line of railway. The supply of steam is regulated by the engine employed at the foundry. It has been amusing hear the remarks of passers-by, at this little precursor of those mighty machines, which will in a short time be puffing and whistling through the mountain wastes and secluded vallies of Westmoreland and Cumberland.'[1]
1847 'Machine for Drilling Rock — A novel machine for the above purpose has lately been constructed by Mr. Nicholson, mechanical engineer the Lound Foundry, who has modified and somewhat altered the design of similar one, for which a patent was granted in America some time back Previous to its being forwarded to its destination on the Caledonian Railway, Mr. Nicholson tested its power and efficiency on the hard, compact, calcareous rock near the limekilns on the Kendal Fell, and the result was such as fully realised his expectations. The machine in question is extremely simple in its construction, and is worked by horse power (although it may be made to any size, and worked by various means), and is admirably adapted for all descriptions of perpendicular boring. The drill or ramper weighs 3251b., and the manner in which the machine is made to lift this ponderous implement displays remarkable mechanical ingenuity, every turn of the connecting wheel causing a portion of the machinery to lift up the drill until that portion comes in contact with a cross bar at the top, by striking which the drill is again released, and falls with great force into the hole. By another ingenious contrivance the drill is made to turn half round and even. On Wednesday morning last, the machine was put in operation on a table of limestone rock, to the north of the kilns, and about nine o'clock, by the aid of two men and two horses, it had bored a hole eleven feet deep and four inches in diameter, thereby performing what it was computed thirty men in the same space of time would not have been able to have accomplished. When in motion the ramper made forty to forty-two strokes per minute, and bored about two feet an hour ; but it is capable of making sixty strokes per minute. In the afternoon the hole was charged with 301bs. of powder, and a blast took place which raised from its bed to the height of two or three feet, according to admeasurement, the enormous amount of 5,000 cubic feet, or 416 tons of solid rock, which fell severed in large blocks nearly in the same position. The novelty of the process attracted a large number of spectators, and the facility with which the machine worked, and the extraordinary result of the blast was the admiration of all. In excavating heavy rock cuttings the machine must be found a great acquisition, and its general adoption will cause a total revolution in the manner in which these undertakings are at present performed. The same evening it was forwarded by railway to the summit cutting near Beatock Bridge, on the Caledonian railway, where it will be immediately put iv use — Westmoreland Gazette.'[2]
1848 Advertisement: 'Lound Foundry, Kendal. To be Sold by Private Treaty, or Let for a Term with immediate possession, the capital Freehold PREMISES, situate at Kendal, belonging to Messrs. John Stephenson and Co., known as the LOUND FOUNDRY.
This Establishment has been fitted up within the last three years, and the Machinery and Tools are all of the best make, and in capital working condition. The Foundry has three Cupolas and four powerful Cranes, and is well calculated for casting up to fourteen tons. The Fitting-up Shop has three Double-geared Hand and Slide Lathes, Drilling, Boring, Screwing, and Slotting Machines, all on the best modern principle; and the Smithy has a full complement of excellent Tools for twenty-five hearths.
The Premises are situate in the healthy Town of Kendal, on the banks of the Lancaster Canal, with which they communicate by a private basin, furnished with Cranes for landing or shipping any weight. They also front the High Road from Lancaster to Kendal, and are near the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway ; thus having cheap and ready communication with all parts of the Kingdom. For further particulars, and to treat, apply to Mr. William Rowlinson, Kendal; Messrs. John Stephenson and Co., Fisher-street, Carlisle; or to Mr. T. M. Fisher, 21, Princess-street, Manchester.' [3]
1848 Advertisement: 'Lound Foundry, Kendal.
Valuable Steam Engine, Boiler, Mill Gearing, Tools, Cranes, Foundry Implements, Smiths' Tools, &c.
BY T. M. FISHER,
On Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th days of May, 1848, at the Lound Foundry, Kendal, by order of the Proprietors, Messrs. Stephenson, Brassie [Brassey], and Co., and without the least reserve, consequence of the near completion of their contracts on the Great North Western Railways. Sale to commence each day punctually at Twelve o'Clock:
The valuable TOOLS and UTENSILS, which are of the most approved modern principle, and excellent working condition, comprising Three 15-inch, Two 10-inch, and One 8-inch Double Geared Lathes, each with Face Plates, Screw and Box Chucks, Compound Slide and Plain Rests, Bearers, and Driving Apparatus; 20-inch Double Geared Slide Lathe, with Face Plates, Compound Slide Rest, Back Rack, Worm, Planed Bed twenty feet long, and Driving Apparatus, by Batho; Turning Tools, Hand Drilling Machine, capital Punching Machine, by Sharp, Brothers, and Co.; powerful Boring Machine, with Drills, Rosebits, and Driving Gear; Nut and Bolt Screwing Machine, from ½in. to 2in., with set Taps, Dies, Speed Pulleys, Reserving Gear, and Fixings; upright power Drilling Machine, Circular Saw Bench with Cast Iron Table, Regulating Gear and Four Blades; horizontal High Pressure Steam Engine, Cylinder 12in. diameter. 2ft. 6in. stroke; Cylindrical Steam Boiler, 15ft. 6in. by 4ft. 6in., with egg ends, doors, bars, steam and safety valves. Two large Blowing Fans; Wheel Pattern Lathe, with Rest and Tools; large quantity of Patterns in Iron and Wood for Spur and Bevel Wheels, Pipes, Beams, and Girders; Three Wrought Iron Cupolas; Four powerful Foundry Cranes, each with Rack, Pinion, Traversing Gear, and Fixings; several Tons of Moulders Boxes; Three large Wrought Iron Ladles, geared; Six Hand Ladles, Core Stove, with Stands and Fittings; Wrought and Cast Iron Core Bars, Moulders' Tools, Joiners' Benches, Ladders, Saw Benches, and several Thousand Feet of well seasoned Timber; Twenty-three Smiths' Hearths, with Anvils; Swage Blocks, Slake Troughs, Hammers, Tongs, Swages, Tools for Heading Bolts, Maundrills, Files, and Gauges; Ten Wrought Iron Smithy Cranes, with Chains and Pulleys, Screwing Block; Benches; Fourteen 5½, 6, and 6½-inch Vices; several Sets of Stocks, Taps, and Dies ; Twenty Tons of Bar and Rod Iron; Two Tons of Brass; Chains; Wrought, Cast, and Scrap Iron; Four Grindstones, Stoves, Brass Furnace, with Bench, Tools, and Crucibles; Six Single Purchase, and Three Double Purchase Cranes; Six Single Purchase Crab Cranes, Twenty-one Pair of 3 and 4 Sheaved Blocks, Eighteen Snatch Blocks, Four Screw Jacks, Two Sets of Three Legs, each with large Beam and Scales; Two Tons of Cast Iron adjusted Weights, Fire Bricks, several Tons of 2, 3, 4, and six inch New Cast Iron Pipes, Universal Crane, with Double Purchase Crab Rack and Railway; Brass Tubes for Locomotive Engine Boilers, large quantity of Cast Iron Chairs for Points and Crossings, Eleven 2-ton and Three 1-ton Portable Cranes and Five Screw Presses for bending rails, all fitted on wheels and axles, for the ordinary railway guage (4ft. 8½ in.); One Hundred and Twenty Cast Iron Chill'd Wheels, 2ft. 6in. diameter, with Wrought Iron Axles; One Hundred and Fifty "navie" Wheelbarrows, Ten Earth Wagons, Six Wrought Iron Portable Grates, Five Broad and Three Narrow Wheeled Carts, Twenty 3-Wheeled Carts, Two Broad and One Narrow Wheeled Wagons, Hay Cutting Machine, large quantity of Bridge Centres; the Counting House Fixtures, Letter Copying Press, Fairbanks Patent Weighing Machine, up to five tons, table 6ft. 0in. by 6ft. 0in. May be viewed on Monday and Tuesday, the 1st and 2nd days of May, and Catalogues had on the Premises; or sooner, from Messrs. Stephenson and Co., Carlisle; Mr. Rowlinson, Kendal; the Midland Counties' Herald Office, Birmingham; or the Auctioneer, 21, Princess Street, Manchester.' [4]