ieec3.1 01 The Farme Colliery Engine - The Last Working Atmospheric Winding Engine

The Farme Colliery Engine -

 The Last Working Atmospheric Winding Engine

Justin Parkes

Appendices

1 - Clarence Becker’s Notes    C.O. Becker

2 - An Appreciation of the Practical    Edward Potts

3 - The Farme Colliery Engine Today Paul Stephens

An off-print from

Transactions of the 3rd International Early Engines Conference - Volume 1 pp7-40

Summary

This paper examines the historical significance, technical evolution, and subsequent preservation of the Farme Colliery engine, a rotative atmospheric steam engine constructed circa 1810 and used for a century at Old Farme Colliery in Rutherglen, near Glasgow. Though not the oldest of its kind, the engine gained prominence in the early 20th century as the last atmospheric winding engine in regular use. Drawing on archival sources, engineering journals, and photographic evidence, the study contextualizes the engine within the broader development of steam technology and coal mining in Lanarkshire. It explores the Farie family’s role in regional industrialization, the engine’s dual function in winding and pumping, and questions around its construction and operation. Following its decommissioning in 1915, the engine underwent a protracted preservation process, culminating in its partial reconstruction at Summerlee Museum. The study underscores the engine’s rarity as one of only three surviving rotative atmospheric engines and highlights its significance as a tangible link to early industrial engineering.