Summer
has arrived!! So they say. We have had problems with our Reed Bed. When we filled
it water started to seep under the steam side path, we tried various patent and
not so patent ideas, but stiIl it leaked, Eventually we hired a digger and cut
into the bund, we found no reason for the path becoming wet. Digging a bit deeper
we found a 9inch layer of pure sand below the surface and this was allowing water
to seep under the bund. We have now removed the sand, installed concrete footings
a constructed a concrete block wall which will be buried in the bund. Once this
extra work is completed we shall again fill The Reed Bed and AGAIN start The Hydraulic
Ram.
We
have again been fortunate to receive funding from Gateshead P.C.T. and along with
a grant from the Big Lottery Fund; this will carry us through 2006. We have recently
been judged for two awards for our site with Gateshead in Bloom and The Beautiful
Gateshead. so we await results. I think in the autumn.
The
Willow house has been a huge success with parents and children, it is like It’s
own Secret Garden and gives beautiful dappled shade when the sun is hot.
To
try and give an insight into our national impact I quote from the Newsletter of
The Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth: - PATH HEADMILL REED BEDS
AND WIND PUMP Here at Path Head Water Mill we are creating a reed bed to filter
our mine water and so enable us to have fish in our mill pond! Maybe of more interest
to members (CAT) is the erection of a restored c1920 Climax Wind Pump along with
a new 3” Blake Hydram which are pumping water on a 24/7 time scale to a
reservoir above the reed bed. The stored water ( energy) can then be released
on demand to power a Dowty Water Turbine that we have installed in the back of
our wheel pit.
This
Spring we planted a reed bed which is now about 1m tall and we have excavated
and bunded a reservoir, but still require to hand finish before inserting a polythene
liner. The pipe connecting the reservoir is buried and feeds to the wheel pit
but still needs bracketing to the wall. The Water Turbine is set in a 30cm. Plastic
pipe, which requires relieving to allow water to flow freely away. So far so good
anybody interested can Contact me ay The Mill etched.
This
clip is in their Email Newsletter of 4th. August ‘05 and is nearly word
for word as submitted, so we must be doing something right.
I
have one Email in response already!
Please
come and see us before the cold weather returns and see what progress we have
made.
Regards
Trevor & Ben, August 2005
