What Is This Mysterious Object?

[brewnog]

Could it be something like a Castle door opening mechanism?

No.

 

[Danger]

Have a slightly bigger picture. There's a good clue if you look closeishly.

http://personalpages.umist.ac.uk/student/E.Smith-2/guess11.jpg

[/URL]
You beat me to it! I just took the liberty of tweaking it myself.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/5493/guess103hu.jpg

Yours is better though, because of the expanded view. The only 'cluish' thing that I see is the boards bolted across. Maybe an old paddle-wheel in a mill?

 

[brewnog]

Yours is better though, because of the expanded view. The only 'cluish' thing that I see is the boards bolted across. Maybe an old paddle-wheel in a mill?

That was the clue indeed, and it is a paddle-wheel.

But not in a mill...!

Bed time now, I'll leave you to ponder this one overnight.

 

[FredGarvin]

Not in a mill? Damn. That just ruled out 95% of my guesses. 1600's? Perhaps it's from a very old pump mechanism?

 

[Danger]

I'm lousy at history, so the time scale might be way off... early steamship?

 

[zanazzi78]

Does it power a loom?

 

[Integral]

How about one of those human gerbil cages for powering things. (close but not quite the same, as a modern piece of gym equipment)

 

[brewnog]

Some more hints:

While it's not a mill or loom, it's not far off. Originating in the 1600s, it's water powered. It's not a pump mechanism, although a similar water-wheel is sited in the same building a few yards away which did power a pump, although a century or two later (while this one was still operational).

I believe it stopped working around 1900.

I'll tell you that it was in the North of England, not far from icvotria actually.

 

[zanazzi78]

Ok did it power bellowes in an iron foundry

 

[brewnog]

Ok did it power bellowes

No.

in an iron foundry

Very close indeed. Not a foundry though!

 

[zanazzi78]

Is it situated in a Steel Foundry (since your from sheffield!)?
A grinding wheel, powered press or stamp?!

 

[honestrosewater]

Did it power a tilt hammer? Is it on the River Sheaf in Abbeydale?

 

[honestrosewater]

Ah, Top Forge!? It's from the other side, but this must be it: http://www.topforge.co.uk/Photographs/Barry%2009G.htm
Wortley Top Forge is also a museum.

 

[brewnog]

Ah, Top Forge!? It's from the other side, but this must be it: http://www.topforge.co.uk/Photographs/Barry%2009G.htm
Wortley Top Forge is also a museum.

Excellent! How did you get it?


I was just looking for someone to say it was powering a tilt hammer in a forge, but you actually got the right place too! I was going to give you points for guessing Abbeydale (because it's very similar), but you hit the jackpot!



It's the site of an old forge (not foundry, sorry zanazzi!), which ended up making axles for trains. Not steel, but wrought iron. There are three waterwheels at the forge, all recently restored. Two power tilt hammers (one of which employs a rudimentary 'spring' mechanism to increase its power), and the other powered bellows for experimental work to develop the puddling process.

 

[honestrosewater]

Excellent! How did you get it?

Eh, you ruled out a lot, and Sheffield was a big help. After I ruled out every other water-wheel-powered tilt hammer in Sheffield, the picture ended up being on the first page of a google image search for "water wheel". I don't know how I missed it the first time.

Okay, so for all you manly men out there:
http://void01.xs.to/pics/05263/smallclue1.JPG
Hm, is this too easy?

 

[honestrosewater]

There with fantastic garlands did she come,
Of crow-flowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples...

 

[honestrosewater]

Is no one playing or does no one know?

"There is a willow grows aslant a brook,
That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream;
There with fantastic garlands did she come,
Of crow-flowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples,
That liberal shepherds give a grosser name,
But our cold maids do dead men’s fingers call them:
There, on the pendent boughs her coronet weeds
Clambering to hang, an envious sliver broke,
When down her weedy trophies and herself
Fell in the weeping brook. Her clothes spread wide,
And, mermaid-like, awhile they bore her up;
Which time she chanted snatches of old tunes,
As one incapable of her own distress,
Or like a creature native and indu’d
Unto that element; but long it could not be
Till that her garments, heavy with their drink,
Pull’d the poor wretch from her melodious lay
To muddy death."

 

[Evo]

What is this?

 

[JamesU]

looks like a quilt

 

[russ_watters]

Colorado...?

 

[Evo]

no to both, but Russ is on the right track

 

[JamesU]

how is that colorado?! :grumpy:

 

[Evo]

how is that colorado?! :grumpy:

It's not Colorado.

 

[Townsend]

What is this?

Duh...

It's a picture... :tongue2:

Kidding...looks like the rockys.

 

[JamesU]

how is it simaler to colorado? is it a mountain?

 

[Moonbear]

It's some sort of mountain range, but I don't know which one. They all look the same to me from the sky.

 

[Evo]

It's some sort of mountain range, but I don't know which one. They all look the same to me from the sky.

Yes, mountain range, I guess it's too much to expect someone to guess which one, although this one is very famous.

I'll wait to see if someone guesses the right one, if not, I'll call it a tie between Russ & Moonbear.

 

[Townsend]

Yes, mountain range, I guess it's too much to expect someone to guess which one, although this one is very famous.

I'll wait to see if someone guesses the right one, if not, I'll call it a tie between Russ & Moonbear.

What the heck? That is favoritism...russ says colorado and I say the rockys and moonbear says a mountain range? Colorado is a state not a good answer since not all of Colorado has mountains. A mountain range is too broad of an answer. Mine is clearly the best so far... :grumpy:

But since you say it is famous then I guess...the swiss alps?

 

[Evo]

not the alps

 

[Townsend]

not the alps

Appalachian Mts?

 

[Townsend]

Himalayas?

 

[Moonbear]

Well, if Colorado is close and it's not the Rockies, then how about the Sierra Nevada mountains?

 

[JamesU]

he's takin' all the mountain ranges!

 

[Evo]

Himalayas?

It's the Himalaya's, Mt Everest is in the middle. Sooner or later by process of elimination someone would get it.

I will award you, Russ & Moonbear with the kill.

For more cool pictures taken by astronauts, go here http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=16407

 

[JamesU]

who's turn is it?