Credit: © The Royal Society
Image number: RS.4796
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New River Head engine
Date
1767
Creator
John Smeaton (1724 - 1792, British) , Civil engineer
Object type
Archive reference number
Image reference
Material
Dimensions
height (drawing): 650mm
width (drawing): 490mm
width (drawing): 490mm
Subject
Description
Design for a building to house the 'fire engine' [steam engine] at New River Head, near Sadlers Wells, Islington, London. Elevations and plan, 1:48 scale. From Smeaton volume 3, fol. 10v.
The steam engine was designed to pump water from the Round Pond reservoir at New River Head to supply local houses.
The steam engine was designed to pump water from the Round Pond reservoir at New River Head to supply local houses.
Object history
The Royal Society John Smeaton collection consists of 6 volumes of his working drawings.
The drawings (with supplementary manuscripts and engravings) were classified by mechanical engineer, John Farey (1791-1851) under the following 6 headings: I. Windmills and watermills for grinding corn; II. Mills for various purposes and machines for raising water; III. Fire engines for raising water; IV. Bridges and Buildings; V. Canal works, sluices, and harbours; VI. Canals and river navigations.
Smeaton made all his drawings himself. Later in his career he employed a draughtsman, but still continued to draw the lines of all his drawings to the proper scale in pencil on cartridge paper which he called sketches. Fair copies of the sketches were then made on drawing paper by the draughtsman, William Jessop or his successor Henry Eastburn, and Smeaton's daughters frequently helped in the shadowing and finishing using ink wash.
The drawings (with supplementary manuscripts and engravings) were classified by mechanical engineer, John Farey (1791-1851) under the following 6 headings: I. Windmills and watermills for grinding corn; II. Mills for various purposes and machines for raising water; III. Fire engines for raising water; IV. Bridges and Buildings; V. Canal works, sluices, and harbours; VI. Canals and river navigations.
Smeaton made all his drawings himself. Later in his career he employed a draughtsman, but still continued to draw the lines of all his drawings to the proper scale in pencil on cartridge paper which he called sketches. Fair copies of the sketches were then made on drawing paper by the draughtsman, William Jessop or his successor Henry Eastburn, and Smeaton's daughters frequently helped in the shadowing and finishing using ink wash.
Associated place