Blackstone Generator removal from a pumping station

[Mark W]

Another one that some of you may be interested in..........

We had a call to remove 4 off blackstone generators from a pumping station in south wales. These engines were both standby for the dry weather pumps and base load during times of heavy rainfall. The existing local supply was not big enough for the storm pumps so that during poor weather the generators started to supply the increase in load. The sets are not that big at about 14.8 tons BUT......as they wanted to use the old tiled floor for the new switch room, we could not damage any of the existing floors tiles! The other slight issue, the client as they could not prove the load bearing capabilities of the floor gave a maximum applied force that we could not exceed. This ruled out the use of conventional machinery skates.

The solution was the equivalent of a very large kitchen draws runner! Once the engines had been landed on to this roller system, two persons could actually move it.


The engines when installed in 1977


The two storm lift pumps




Final engine about to be moved

Empty building

Final lift on to Low Loader


One of the engines selected for preservation, the Blackstone badge got nicked over night at the water works.

The funny thing was, after great care was taken not to crack any tiles and for me stating I would buy a pint for any one cracked......A bloody cherry picker operated by a spark was driven into the building and cracked the lot where it passed and it also exceeded the maximum point loadings that were stipulated to ourselves.!

The pump station now has an uprated supply so no need for these generators, the new ones are now just for back up.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Nice job. Shame about the badge being stolen, I hope whoever took it was under the mistaken impression the plant was going for scrap.

A bloody cherry picker operated by a spark was driven into the building and cracked the lot where it passed and it also exceeded the maximum point loadings that were stipulated to ourselves.!

We've had exactly this in venues where we've been ultra careful with floor protection and spreading load on the stage, laboriously wheeling towers around where it wasn't rated for a picker, and then had some numpty from the main contractor drive straight in through the dock leaving a trail of mud.

While we're on the subject of moving generators, this pic has been up in a few places but it's my favourite of Edward doing his magic when we were relocatinng the Roopers lighting plant. It breaks down into easily manageable pieces, but the low ceiling over the engine made it fiddly and awkward to get the crane jib in to lift the crankshaft off.

 

[westward10]

Never thought that sack barrow would have shifted that

 

[Mark W]

Lucien, the open framed generator that goes with your engine is just generator ---- but I feel we are going to end up with a separate discussion on open framed gennys! I am just restoring a 1936 harland engineering open framed DC generator complete with National RV6 engine.... the oldest unit I have is a W H Allen from 1919.