Thought I would post this favourite piece of my cast iron memorabilia - but it's non-Massey!!
I have now nearly finished refurbishing the old farm water pump which used to be at my grandfather's farm and very near the MH factory in Manchester. It is about 150 years old and made by a company called J Thom of Patricroft, England who operated out of Canal works very nearby. This was obviously on the banks of the Bridgewater Canal - one of the first commercial canals in the world.
This pump would have been operated by my great great grandfather and I want to pass it down to my grandsons so he will be their great, great, great ,great grandfather. I trust that in the fullness of time they will appreciate my efforts!
Refurbishment has involved newly bushing out the pump/hand crank mechanism, cast iron welding two broken lugs, new leather clack valve and new leather piston valve - the latter two specially made out of high quality leather for an arm and a leg by a rare specialist supplier of this type of thing. Cleaning and re-painting with a touch up job still to be done. Also a new brass piston push rod which had got badly bent at some point.
I intend to put a sump underneath the inlet pipe at the bottom so the lads can actively pump it. Over years it would have provided thousands of gallons of water to the farm's cattle and pigs, and the thirsty Massey workers before mains water was installed to the farm.
I should also mention that there was always MH equipment on this farm and indeed my grandfater used to test MH equipment for the MH factory just up the road before it was released on to the British market. So although it was not an MH pump (they were never sold in the UK) it did serve proudly with MH machines and men.
John