I have now opened up the well in the back yard and ordered a pump. The
trouble was the well had a deck 8m down supporting an old pump with no way a
new pump could be lowered into the water from above. It seems it was
complete luck that my original weight on a string found its way through a
small crack to the water when I dangled it down through the little hole I
first drilled.

So the old pump had to come out. Luckily the pumping mechanism was still
partially intact with a steel rod reaching almost to the surface, as in.
http://share.ovi.com/media/Muddymike...uddymike.10601

A Rope was attached to this and to the Land Rover
http://share.ovi.com/media/Muddymike...e.10600?sort=0
So by pulling on the rope, then clamping the rod off to re position the rope
a few times the old pump came to the surface. You can see in this picture
the rod rising up.
Now at one point with the pump almost out of the well disaster nearly struck
as the pull rope broke when the pump got caught up on an obstruction.
Luckily I had thought of this and had a second rope secured already as back
up. The upside was that the old pump crashing 30 feet smashed a big hole in
the deck so now its very easy to get the new pump in.

The pump was finally manhandled out, but boy is this thing and the 18 feet
of 2 inch steel pipe below it along with all the crap attached to it heavy.
My son and I struggled with that stage.
Here it is for all to see.
http://share.ovi.com/media/Muddymike...e.10602?sort=0

and

http://share.ovi.com/media/Muddymike...e.10603?sort=0

I am now wondering what age this contraption can be. I am assured that when
our house was built mains water was available so no need for a well. It must
therefore have been installed for the old hall in the grounds of which our
house was built. Anyone have any idea how old the pump might be from the
picture? Interestingly it still works, and the bronze (or whatever its made
from) bolts undo easily as does the gland nut. Also of interest to me is
that although the bolts appear the same size all the heads vary a bit in
size, hand made perhaps? Sadly I can't find a date or manufacturers mark
anywhere. I shall clean it up a bit and post another picture soon.

Mike

Difficult to say its age - the pipes look very old. Mine in a borehole
on the smallholding (installed in the 1930s) were galvanised and in good
condition. I never raised them far.

Whereabouts are you? The well looks as if it was blasted out of solid
rock, which would explain the non-all-round shape.

--
Rusty
Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk

I am now wondering what age this contraption can be. I am assured that
when
our house was built mains water was available so no need for a well. It
must therefore have been installed for the old hall in the grounds of
which our house was built. Anyone have any idea how old the pump might be
from the picture? Interestingly it still works, and the bronze (or
whatever its made from) bolts undo easily as does the gland nut. Also of
interest to me is that although the bolts appear the same size all the
heads vary a bit in size, hand made perhaps? Sadly I can't find a date or
manufacturers mark anywhere. I shall clean it up a bit and post another
picture soon.

Mike

You sound to be having fun!

I suggest you ask about your pump at the uk.rec.engines.stationary
newsgroup - they are usually a friendly and knowledgeable bunch.

"Rusty_Hinge" wrote in message
. uk...
Difficult to say its age - the pipes look very old. Mine in a borehole
on the smallholding (installed in the 1930s) were galvanised and in good
condition. I never raised them far.

Whereabouts are you?
North Yorkshire

Mike

On Fri, 1 May 2009 16:13:44 +0100, "Muddymike"
wrote:



A Rope was attached to this and to the Land Rover
http://share.ovi.com/media/Muddymike...e.10600?sort=0

can't beat the old Lightweights......
--
"Why can't I get huge amounts of money for screwing up??"

To reply direct rot13 me

bURRt the 101 Camper
200TDi Disco "The big purple one"
200 TDi Disco, "the offroader"
1976 S3 Lightweight

The message
from "Muddymike" contains these words:
"Rusty_Hinge" wrote in message
. uk...

Difficult to say its age - the pipes look very old. Mine in a borehole
on the smallholding (installed in the 1930s) were galvanised and in good
condition. I never raised them far.

Whereabouts are you?

North Yorkshire

Figures. You'd never dig a deep round hole there - too many square pegs,
'appen.

--
Rusty
Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk

Rusty_Hinge wrote:
The message
from "Muddymike" contains these words:
"Rusty_Hinge" wrote in message
. uk...

Difficult to say its age - the pipes look very old. Mine in a
borehole on the smallholding (installed in the 1930s) were
galvanised and in good condition. I never raised them far.

Whereabouts are you?

North Yorkshire

Figures. You'd never dig a deep round hole there - too many square
pegs, 'appen.

Oi!

The message
from "Ophelia" contains these words:
Rusty_Hinge wrote:
The message
from "Muddymike" contains these words:
"Rusty_Hinge" wrote in message
. uk...

Difficult to say its age - the pipes look very old. Mine in a
borehole on the smallholding (installed in the 1930s) were
galvanised and in good condition. I never raised them far.

Whereabouts are you?

North Yorkshire

Figures. You'd never dig a deep round hole there - too many square
pegs, 'appen.

Oi!

I'd have placed that in the East End of London a few years ago.

Golders Green?

D&RFC

--
Rusty
Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk

Rusty_Hinge wrote:
The message
from "Ophelia" contains these words:
Rusty_Hinge wrote:
The message
from "Muddymike" contains these
words:
"Rusty_Hinge" wrote in message
. uk...

Difficult to say its age - the pipes look very old. Mine in a
borehole on the smallholding (installed in the 1930s) were
galvanised and in good condition. I never raised them far.

Whereabouts are you?

North Yorkshire

Figures. You'd never dig a deep round hole there - too many square
pegs, 'appen.

Oi!

I'd have placed that in the East End of London a few years ago.

Golders Green?

D&RFC

??

My garden well project is nearly complete. Take a look at
http://share.ovi.com/media/Muddymike...uddymike.10612
It shows my take on getting cheap water from the old well I uncovered in the
back yard. Apart from a £12 length of underground pipe and a few fittings it
was mostly put together from bits removed during work on the house or left
over from other jobs. The pump itself was an Ebay bargain and works
surprisingly well.

I now use the well water for all garden watering, car washing, pressure
washing, etc. at a cost of 2p in electricity to pump a cubic meter of water
compared to the £2.31 Yorkshire water charge through the water meter.

Mike

On May 1, 4:13*pm, "Muddymike" wrote:
I have now opened up the well in the back yard and ordered a pump. The
trouble was the well had a deck 8m down supporting an old pump with no way a
new pump could be lowered into the water from above. It seems it was
complete luck that my original weight on a string found its way through a
small crack to the water when I dangled it down through the little hole I
first drilled.

So the old pump had to come out. Luckily the pumping mechanism was still
partially intact with a steel rod reaching almost to the surface, as in.http://share.ovi.com/media/Muddymike...uddymike.10601

A Rope was attached to this and to the Land Roverhttp://share.ovi.com/media/Muddymike.Garden/Muddymike.10600?sort=0
So by pulling on the rope, then clamping the rod off to re position the rope
a few times the old pump came to the surface. You can see in this picture
the rod rising up.
Now at one point with the pump almost out of the well disaster nearly struck
as the pull rope broke when the pump got caught up on an obstruction.
Luckily I had thought of this and had a second rope secured already as back
up. The upside was that the old pump crashing 30 feet smashed a big hole in
the deck so now its very easy to get the new pump in.

The pump was finally manhandled out, but boy is this thing and the 18 feet
of 2 inch steel pipe below it along with all the crap attached to it heavy.
My son and I struggled with that stage.
Here it is for all to see.http://share.ovi.com/media/Muddymike...e.10602?sort=0

and

http://share.ovi.com/media/Muddymike...e.10603?sort=0

I am now wondering what age this contraption can be. I am assured that when
our house was built mains water was available so no need for a well. It must
therefore have been installed for the old hall in the grounds of which our
house was built. Anyone have any idea how old the pump might be from the
picture? Interestingly it still works, and the bronze (or whatever its made
from) bolts undo easily as does the gland nut. Also of interest to me is
that although the bolts appear the same size all the heads vary a bit in
size, hand made perhaps? Sadly I can't find a date or manufacturers mark
anywhere. I shall clean it up a bit and post another picture soon.

Mike

Wow, what a feat. We have something similar in our well, so I would
guestimate around 1870. We use the water for gardening; it's
obviously a source as it never runs out despite heavy use. I feel I
have been on a journey with you since you left Norfolk and started
your garden, remember the hidden path you found? I do look at the
progress and wonder what you will do next, well done Mike.

Judith

"Judith in France" wrote in message
...
On May 1, 4:13 pm, "Muddymike" wrote:

Wow, what a feat. We have something similar in our well, so I would
guestimate around 1870. We use the water for gardening; it's
obviously a source as it never runs out despite heavy use. I feel I
have been on a journey with you since you left Norfolk and started
your garden, remember the hidden path you found? I do look at the
progress and wonder what you will do next, well done Mike.

It will be 5 years this Sept since we moved here. I don't think the old
place has any more hidden surprises for us, but then again I didn't expect
to find a 45ft deep well a few months ago!!
We are able to enjoy the garden more now that we have beaten most of it into
submission. Its still vast though, many areas will remain wild, as we just
don't have the time to do any more at present. So who knows what we may find
when we get around to taming another hidden corner.

Mike