WESES Granite Haulage
 

100 years ago Steam was the motive power to move large blocks of granite from the quarries of this area to the monumental works of Freeman & Mcleod in Penryn.

110 years ago 2 large granite blocks, one of 54 tons and one of 48 tons left a quarry in the Polkanuggo valley just the Helston side of Longdowns. These blocks were used to create the base of the King Alfred monument in Winchester.

This year at approximately 12pm on Sunday 10th of August plans are afoot to relive steam on the 'Old Granite Road'. At this time Steve Saunders (grandson of a granite worker of those days) and Robin Daniel are planning to take a large block of granite from Longdowns down into Penryn, passing the former granite works, (now boat yards, Falmouth side of Penryn Bridge). The engines will then continue to Dales roundabout before starting a climb of about 500 feet back to Longdowns, via Asda Roundabout and Mabe Village on route to Longdowns. Two large steam engines ascending both Nanturrian and Antron hills should be quite spectacular.

Both these engines can then be seen at the upcoming 'Cornish Steam & Country Fair' at Stithians Showground TR3 7DP (15th-17th August 2014)

Sorry, should read 'Steve Sanders' the joys of copy & paste!

That will be a stunning sight going up the hill from Dales roundabout, I do hope someone will be videoing it as I won't be able to see it in person. Good luck.

Matt

Here is a picture of the original operation in 1903 which is in an old NTEC Heavy Haulage book I have:

http://www.steamscenes.org.uk/tth/14/freeman-mcleod.jpg

The engines are Freeman engines Fowler 7974 & 9016, discussed on here previously.

I have seen other pictures of this operation en-route, I'll see if I can sort them out.

The monument still stands in Winchester, this gives some indication as to the size of the granite block!

http://www.steamscenes.org.uk/tth/14...winchester.jpg

I'm going over on Sunday to record the event.

WESES GRANITE
 

Please note i feel it is important to point out that the granite we are taking on sunday will not be as heavy as it was back then, this is not out of choice but due to many reasons and regulations.thank you in advance to everybody that is coming along to watch...steve

Thinking about traveling down for this which hill do do you think would be best to spectate on and where is the best place to park?

I would imagine that a good hill would be at the top of the A39, 2nd round about from TR10 8AB. There is a lay-by a little further up the A39 from the Hill Head roundabout that may be ok for parking

If you look on Google maps you will see an escape lane, so it's a fair old hill :) Looking forward to it

I spent the afternoon yesterday helping my brother to load the solid tyred trailer, the one we used last year for the boiler haulage at Trevithick Day,so he could take it to Penryn.

Both engines and the trailer are now in the right area so it looks like all systems are set to go.
Charlie D

Exellent stuff! There seems to be a lot of engines on the move next W.E. & the one after!
I've known that photo for years , but it was only this year I saw another one taken from the front with both engines copled together on the front.

Fowler PE 15529 roading this Saturday from Bocconnoc to Stithians ,with Steve Gunn, Jim Winkworth, myself, & Tyrone & Kielan James catching up with us later on.

This seems like it will be a very good run, for those unable to attend, i plan to video as much of the run as possible depending on the weather.

I was in Liskeard earlier and I manage to catch up with 15529 on the road. They had made some great progress through some of the narrow and steep lanes out of Lostwithiel but a bearing problem had halted progress, all sorted soon I hope:

http://www.steamscenes.org.uk/tth/14...2-DSC_0799.jpg

http://www.steamscenes.org.uk/tth/14...2-DSC_0809.jpg

http://www.steamscenes.org.uk/tth/14...9-DSC_0827.jpg

http://www.steamscenes.org.uk/tth/14...5-DSC_0832.jpg

http://www.steamscenes.org.uk/tth/14...6-DSC_0818.jpg

Heres my video of the granite run earlier, taken on Nanturrian Hill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7WJ...Zgk1b3568JR82A

Cheers

I hadn't realised you had caught up with us David, I had gone for the low loader at this point leaving Jim and Kielen to fight the traffic. We had managed to run the right hand crank bearing hot which we slackened off and this in turn set the HP big end off because the crank was moving slightly to and fro. This was all when we were climbing up out of Lostwithiel towards Sweetshouse up a fairly steep, narrow and very busy lane. To say things were a bit fraught would be an under statement! We eventually managed to get everything moving again after a couple of hours and then just as we were starting down the hill away from Sweetshouse she spat all the temporary big end shims out at which point we decided to call it a day. A very big thank you to the Daniel Brothers for the loan of their low loader, she is now safely at Stithians awaiting next weekends frivolities.

A very big thank you from WESES to Robin & Steve for putting on this unique, unlikely to be seen again event
And thank you for all the pictures everyone

We look forward to both participating engines and owners attending at this weekends WESES event 'Cornish Steam & Country Fair' at Stithians http://www.cornishsteamandcountryfair.co.uk

There are some significant changes to the site layout this year so please come along and let us know what you think