BLOWING THE 11LB POWELL STEAM WHISTLE!!! скачать в хорошем качестве

BLOWING THE 11LB POWELL STEAM WHISTLE!!!

INTRO: On August 1st, 2021 a voice from the corridors of American history screamed through the hallways of a Carrollton, TX warehouse. After years spent in silence since it was manufactured in a Cincinnati, Ohio factory, this beautiful bronze steam whistle was once again unleashed upon the eardrums of a few eager onlookers. It was nothing short of a dream come true. There are precious few things in life that take you back in time in the same way that the roar of a steam whistle can. Whether this whistle spent its life perched on the boiler of a steam engine or high above the ground floor of a bustling workshop to signal shift changes, it was heard loud and clear by men, women, and children who lived nearly a hundred years ago. Time travel is sadly not possible and the ability to sit down and chat with our ancestors passes with the sands of time. BUT…if you ever have an itch to hear the same sound that your great grandparents heard and, for a split second, walk in the shoes of a 1930’s American, just close your eyes and listen to the haunting moan of a steam whistle. THE WHISTLE: This is a (*deep breath*) 4” wide…14½” tall…11lb…bronze…single bell…3 chime steam whistle. The exact model (#895, per the 1932 Wm Powell catalogue) was designed in 1909. I was lucky enough to obtain not only a scan of the original hand-drawn blueprint, but also a scan of the lever design drawings from 1908. Though still in business today, Powell ceased their production of steam whistles by 1964, and based on the excellent condition of this whistle I would date it no earlier than the 1930’s. Most whistles of this size were purchased to be used either on a steam locomotive or in large factories to signal shift changes. To produce the blast, this whistle would have been hooked up to pressurized steam. Once the whistle was connected, a firm tug on the lever would open the valve enough to allow the steam to travel through a small gap in the bowl of the whistle and into the three compartments of the bell (each of varying depths). This produces the 3-note chime of the steam whistle. According to the 1932 catalogue, this whistle could be purchased for $18 (the equivalent of $350 in 2021). One of the most interesting aspects of this whistle is the lever, engraved with a slew of curlicues and flourishes. I reached out to the current Director of Engineering at The Wm Powell Co (now Powell Valves) in search of further info on these designs - to my surprise he said that he had never seen the likes before. While I was able to find several other Powell whistles with similar markings that were either cast or engraved into the lever, they do not appear with regularity on the company’s whistles and were never advertised in their catalogues. As such, they remain a mystery. THE COMPANY: This whistle was made by The Wm. Powell Co between 1909 and 1950. The company was founded by it’s namesake, William Powell, born Feb 9, 1790 in Loughborough, England. The second oldest of six siblings, William worked in a lace-making factory for nearly 30 years. During this time he married Elizabeth Carr in 1815 and had 9 children, 4 of which would pass away as infants. In search of a better life, William moved his family to the states in 1836 at the age of 46, settling in Cincinnati, OH by 1840 where he would found The Wm Powell Co 6 years later. The company produced a wide variety of valves, whistles, and oilers, all under their “White Star” brand. By the early 1900’s, Powell was the leading manufacturer of plumbing supplies in the nation. Still in business today (now Powell Valves), the company celebrates its 175th anniversary in 2021. HUGE shoutout to Randy Lisbona and the rest of the gang at @dallasmakerspace for letting me toot my own horn! Let me know what you think, and enjoy the video! Please consider subscribing to the channel, and check me out on my media below. MEDIA: Instagram:   / micahdarwinblacksmith   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... MUSIC: Epidemicsound