Old Mills Colliery Winding Engine, W. Evans, 1861

Consultancy contract to supply a feasibility study for the potential conservation and redisplay for Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery .

This twin-horizontal steam winding engine stopped operation in 1966 on the closure of the Old Mill Colliery, Pauton, nr. Midsummer Norton. It was aquired by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery in 1967.

This feasibility study focused on practical and ethical conservation issues. 

The winding engine had been dismantled and removed from the Old Mills colliery site in the 1960’s and is in storage at Bristol Industrial Museum. The Bristol Industrial Museum site has recently undergone a significant redevelopment and this report was commissioned to compliment the Museum collection rationalisation process.

This report was used as an adjunct to the formulation of the engine’s status within the contextual parameters of any proposed site development and to help assess the projected costings for conservation and future display potential.

The report was based on a project requirement for the engine to be assessed and preserved for future display.

The strategic planning afforded to the Old Mills engine project and its future display potential had to take into account a number of project and financial drivers. Any proposed conservation or restoration strategy had to be able to demonstrate the value of future exhibition.

The report established the basic core condition of the engine and presented preliminary estimated budget costings for preservation based on 4 key strategies