Stationary Steam in Cuba

I was able to visit one or two mills in Cuba in 2001 (RD), but circumstances did not allow me to take any photographs.

Ray Gardiner (his pictures unless otherwise stated), Chris Hart and Alan Murray Rust have provided a glimpse of mill engines, unfortunately the mills were closed during his visits (which is probably why he was able to take pictures):

Click here for Ray's picture of a steam winch at Australia Mill.

Click here for Ray's picture of a Merryweather steam pumper in Havana and more news of fire engines, etc (23rd December 2003).

Luis Arcos Bergnes (5th May 2002)

This mill has not worked for several years. Picture courtesy of Chris Hart who adds "This is a picture of a small horizontal steam engine I took last year. It was in the area between the tip and mills. I couldn't tell whether it was a carrier drive or driving a set of knives or what."

Bergnes

Marcelo Salado (25th April 2002)

This mill has not worked for several years. With classic machinery like this, what a shame. Pictures courtesy of Alan Murray-Rust:

MS Mill Fultons

MS Mill Ames

Sergio Gonzalez (14th April 2002)

The mill was previously known as Tinguaro. The 1937 Gilmore Cuba Sugar Manual shows that there were 3 mill engine driving the crushers. They were all Corliss type built by Fulton in USA. The engine shown drove the pre crusher and had 26" x 48" cylinders. The 2nd engine was 42" x 60" and drove the crusher and first 3 mills. The 3rd engine was 32" x 60" and drove the 4th and 5th mills.

SG Mill

Rafael Freyre:

RF Mill

Patria O Muerte (First is a Hamilton, the other two Fultons), when working the Hamilton (Corliss) engines sound most strange.

PoM Mill

Ray adds (29th March 2002) - for more information on Merryweather see see http://british-steam-fire-engines.org/index.html.

Here are a couple of pics of a Merryweather steam pumper in Havana. It is builders no 1535 built 1894 and is in very good condition, although they said it is not in working condition. It is located at the fire station in Calle Corralles about two blocks from the main railway station. You have to ask permission to see it, but they seemed very happy to show it off and very also happy with the photos of other steam pumpers in Australia that I gave to them. They told me that a new fire brigade museum is being built in Havana at present and it will move there probably next year.

Merryweather Pumper

Neil Edwards tells me (23rd December 2003)

In a museum at Matanzas are/were the following:
2 unidentified American built steam fire engines
2 British Merryweather Ltd vertical boilered steam fire engines, #1332 of 1894 (#1535 of 1894 above was here previously)

In addition a semi-portable engine built by Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies #35026 c1920's was operating at Agucate Railway Station (50Km east of Havana) in 2003.

The A&P steam roller at 205 Camilo Cienfuegos near gate 3 at Puerta which I also saw in 2001 is A&P R12 Class 2 cyl steam roller 11121/1925. I eventually managed to get its identification from somebody who saw it whilst the works plate was still in situ.

curoller001.jpg (50573 bytes)

This steam winch in use at Australia Mill in 2002 has no indentication marks....

Steam winch