Carel Steam Engine.

Clickychick had managed to talk her way into a tour of Carrs Flour Mills at Silloth.  I drove over, dropped her at the gate and set off to watch the birds along the promenade.  About half an hour in I got a phone call, I was welcome to go on the tour, so far they hadn't got past the boardroom so come along.

A man came out and passed a device through the turnstile to let me in and escorted me to reception.  It was while signing in I realised he wasn't just one of the worker he was the works manager.  He took me to meet CC,still in the boardroom, where we were kitted out with white coats hairnets, ear defenders and hard hats.  Then I realised the manager was taking us on the tour.  Towards the end of the nearly 2 hour tour he said "I will show you the museum".  It turns out the museum is open one day a year when the steam gathering is in town and they run the Carel Engines.

Carel engines were a Belgium product the full name being Carel Feres.  There are two in the museum built in 1904 they powered the mill until 1973.  They ran 24/7 and managed to keep going right through WW2.  Incredible "beasts" with a stroke of 1500mm and piston bores of 610mm & 955mm producing 750 horsepower.  The drive was by ropes which can just be seen to the right of the shot.