Wheal Messa, 1784—1786, 1790

Cornish Mine Engines (16 items).

1300. Wheal Messa. Dec. 1784, Apr. 1785, Jan. 1786, Nov. 1790. 16 items.
Double-acting engine, with 42 inch cylinder, 8 foot stroke, parallel motion.

General view of the engine, outside front view of the engine and longitudinal and cross-sections of the boiler, inside front view of the engine and side view of the boiler, ground and first floor plans of the engine and boiler - reverse drawings [? - not marked as such but appear to be reverse copies]; nozzles, front view of the nozzles and pipes - reverse drawings; plummer blocks; working gear handle - reverse drawing.
The following drawings were also used for Wheal Fortune: sections and plan of the air pump and condenser, side view and plan of the beam, side view of parallel motion, plan of parallel motion and drawings of parts, T bobs etc. - reverse drawings; saddle plates, plummer blocks etc. - large sheet with several drawings, and reverse copy of some of them.
Also the following later item: section and plans of cylinder - partially coloured reverse drawing, Nov. 1790. This drawing bears a letter code.

Original Portfolio or 'Book' No. 46. Catalogue of Old Engines p. 302.

For North Downs Mines. Wheal Messa was part of North Downs Mines. According to the List of Engines made at Soho, in 1794 this engine moved to Lemon's Mine, also part of North Downs Mines, where it was still at work in May 1798. However Dickinson & Jenkins [p. 342] say that Wheal Messa and Lemon's were the same mine.

Published references: Dickinson & Jenkins p. 143, plate XXVII - general view.