Field Trips

Joule Centre North West Hydro Resource Model Field Day

07.45 Meet bus outside LEC building, Lancaster University

08.00 Depart Lancaster University for Heron Corn Mill

08.45 Arrive Heron Corn Mill, Beetham, Cumbria
Introduction (Phil Leigh, Joule Hydro Project, LU)
Demonstration of Hanna water quality probe (Andrew Crowe, CSWM, LU)
Overview of hydro power scheme for Corn Mill (Bob Parkins, R.G.Parkins Ltd.)

10.00 Depart Heron Corn Mill for Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon Ltd
(A small number of cars will accompany the coach for the remainder of the day)

11.00 Arrive Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon Ltd
Site visit and hydro turbine museum visit (Alan Davies and colleagues)
Manufactureres of hydro turbines since 1853

11.10 Depart Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon Ltd

11.30 Arrive of New Sedgwick Gunpowder Works
Historic context (Jamie Lund, NT)
Ancient hydro power site for producing gunpowder

12.45 Depart to Sizergh Castle for Lunch
Lunch Sizergh Castle
National Trust collaboration (Gareth Thomas, NT)

13.45 Depart Sizergh Castle to Staveley Mill Yard, near Kendal

14.00 Arrive Staveley Mill Yard, near Kendal
Staveley Mill hydro (David Brockbank & colleagues)
Siphonic hydro (Martin Widden, Engineering Department, LU)
18 kW Gilkes Turbine

14.30 Depart Staveley Mill Yard to Backbarrow, Newby Bridge

15.15 Arrive Backbarrow, Newby Bridge
Description of working hydro site (Oliver Barrett, Backbarrow Hydro)
EA perspective (Cameron Durie & colleagues)
320 kW hydropower scheme (3 turbines), partially installed by Interhydro (Kendal), RG Parkins Ltd.

16.00 Depart Backbarrow for Lowood Gunpowder Works

16.10 Arrive Lowood Gunpowder Works
315 kW hydropower scheme (1 x Gilkes Frances Turbine) installed 1953 (to be updated in near future).
Description of working hydro site (Oliver Barrett, Backbarrow Hydro)
Closing remarks (George Aggidis, LU & David Howard, CEH)

16.45 Depart Lowood Gunpowder Works for Heron Corn Mill

17.15 Arrive Heron Corn Mill car park

17.20 Depart Heron Corn Mill for Lancaster University, via Lancaster

17.45 Arrive Lancaster Bus Station (connection for train station)

18.00 Arrive LEC building, Lancaster University

Organisations represented included Lancaster University, Joule Centre, Environment Agency, British Hydro, United Utilities, National Trust, Groundwork Trust, UCLAN, Liverpool John Moores University, New Mills Hydro, Heron Corn Mill, Clean Energy Solutions Ltd, Ellergreen Energy, Team Energy, Backbarrow Hydro, TNIE, R.G.Parkins Ltd and Sundog Energy.