Fig. 236.
Well at Bolckow and Vaughan’s, Middlesborough.

[Larger image] (284 kB)

Headings have also been driven W. and N. of No. 2 well, at a cost of 30s. a yard. The western heading is 213 feet long, driven with a slight rise, and gave much water. There are two headings N., running in the direction of the railway, one over the other. The lower was driven level with the bottom of the shaft, but no water met with; the upper is 36 feet from the surface, and is intended to carry away surplus water down to a line of earthenware pipes which are led along the railway to a low-level reservoir.

In the eastern heading there is a rise of 4 feet, owing to the nature of the strata; and after it had been driven 510 feet, well No. 3 was sunk for ventilation and for drawing out material. A bed of very hard sandstone, 63 feet long, was passed, cost 4l. 10s. a yard, and beyond came marl, in which driving cost 45s. a yard. This heading was continued 330 feet beyond No. 3, and an air-hole 3 inches diameter put down 126 yards deep, but no water was met with. The bed of hard sandstone was also found in driving the lower N. heading, which was discontinued after going into it some 5 or 6 feet. The yield from these wells is about 600,000 gallons a day, and recently a new bore-hole at No. 3 well, when down 350 feet, gave some 380,000 gallons a day additional.

Leek.—The Potteries waterworks have also wells at the Wallgrange Springs, near Leek; these rise from the conglomerate beds, and are stated to yield 3,000,000 gallons daily. The water from these springs is pumped into Ladderidge reservoir, and is distributed from thence into the town of Newcastle-under-Lyme and the Potteries.

Figs. 239, 240.
Well at Ross, Herefordshire.

[Larger image] (298 kB)

Middlesborough.—The Figs. [235] to [238] are sections and plans of a well at the works of Messrs. Bolckow and Vaughan, Middlesborough, made under the direction of S. C. Homersham, C.E. A trial hole was first put down to a depth of 398 feet 6 inches, and a shaft afterwards sunk by Messrs. Docwra and Son to that depth, through alternating beds of clay, sand, gypsum, and sandstone. At the bottom of the shaft a bore-hole of 18 inches diameter throughout was made with Mather and Platt’s apparatus to a depth of 1312 feet; the first 1160 feet of which were through new red sandstone interspersed with beds of clay, white sandstone, red marl, and gypsum. Next came 40 feet of gypsum, hard white sandstone, and limestone; and the remaining 100 feet were through red sandstone, pure salt rock, occasional layers of limestone, and then salt rock to the bottom. The gross time spent in sinking this bore-hole was 510 days, or an average of 2 feet 5 inches a day.