Quarry Bank Mill Learning Journey
Follow the Learning Journey steps into the world of The Quarry Bank Mill community, and discover a microcosm of life in the cotton factory system.
Click on the steps below to explore.
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Quarry Bank Mill Learning Journey Step 3: The Power House
Styal was chosen as the site for Quarry Bank Mill because of the availability of a plentiful water supply from the River Bollin, which could be used to drive a waterwheel. The first wheel of 1784 was wooden and could generate 10 horsepower.A second, larger waterwheel was added in 1801 to power the extra machinery in the extension, and the water supply was improved to make this possible: a weir was built and the valley upstream flooded to create a Mill pool. The first wheel was replaced in 1807. Water was not available in sufficient quantity for machinery to run at full power throughout the working day, so in 1810 a steam engine was installed as a supplementary power source. In 1818, a high breastshot suspension wheel, the largest and most powerful in the country, was installed in a new building. Soon after, both the smaller wheels were removed. However, steam power was still required, with a more powerful engine purchased in 1836 to replace that of 1810. A further engine was added in 1871. The last engine was installed in 1906. In 1904, the wheel suffered irreparable damage and was scrapped, replaced the following year by two water turbines of 200 and 20 horsepower respectively which continued to work until the Mill closed in 1959. |
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