zeppelin builder
Member
- Messages
- 2,174
- Location
- peoples republic of scotland
had a look at Bonawe blast furnace near Taynuilt last w end , ibelieve after the 1745 rebellion , a bunch of guys from cumbria set up a large operation here due to the abundancy of wood they could pillage and make charcoal ,a jetty was made nearby and iron ore was shipped up from cumbria and pig iron and cannonballs were the end product i think nelson used this ammo ,most of the buildings remain and are in remarkable nick
there are large charcoal stores and a smaller ore store , the ore and charcoal were loaded via the top of the furnace
by the barrowload , the blast was generated by two dirty great leather bellows driven by water power via a sluice from the nearby river,unfotunately some one scrapped the mechanics of it in 1940 for the war effort ,although the mountings remain it worked from 1750 to around 1930 and at its peak employed around 200 including the large charcoal squads who lived an itinerant life in the woods
a lot of the old workers houses still remain ,apparently it wiped out all the ancient forests around for 100 mile radius ,it was run continusley and is a credit that the furnace looks intact inside
it could be recommisioned quite easily .
new water wheel and bellows would be all thats needed, be a fine sight all that sparks and ash flying out the top at night
there are large charcoal stores and a smaller ore store , the ore and charcoal were loaded via the top of the furnace
by the barrowload , the blast was generated by two dirty great leather bellows driven by water power via a sluice from the nearby river,unfotunately some one scrapped the mechanics of it in 1940 for the war effort ,although the mountings remain it worked from 1750 to around 1930 and at its peak employed around 200 including the large charcoal squads who lived an itinerant life in the woods
a lot of the old workers houses still remain ,apparently it wiped out all the ancient forests around for 100 mile radius ,it was run continusley and is a credit that the furnace looks intact inside
it could be recommisioned quite easily .
new water wheel and bellows would be all thats needed, be a fine sight all that sparks and ash flying out the top at night
