Thomas Shaft Pumping Engine

The Cornish beam pumping engine as illustrated by the 40-inch engine on Thomas’ shaft at West Wheal Kitty in St. Agnes, originally built by Harvey’s of Hayle in 1863 and now preserved in storage at the Science Museum in London.
The importance of Cornwall's mineral wealth has been known since the time of the Ancient Greeks who traded with the Cassiterides ("tin islands")
During peak production in the mid-19th century, Cornwall and neighbouring South Devon produced almost half of the world's supply of copper and over half of the world's supply of tin.
This was made possible by the invention of a reciprocating steam engine, or beam engine, capable of driving pumps that could keep the ever-deepening mines free of water, driving whims for raising ore from the shafts, or crushing ore.

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