Map/Aerial photo of the area around the mill
Wind pump museum:
post mill
(drainage)
- Bob Morse's collection of wind engines
Morse's wind engine park in Repps, Norfolk is holding another volunteer work weekend on 13-14th June 2009,
aiming to work on the park's two Wallis Titt engines.
Details for 2009
(details of the previous 2008 event)
Sadly, Bob Morse passed away in Jan 2007. Read a
Celebration of the life of Bob Morse to find out more about the man who assembled
the most important collection of windpumps in the UK.
Bob Morse had a fascination with windmills since he was a young man, which stepped up a notch in 1947 when he purchased the
then very derelict Thurne Mill. In 18 months, with the help of Albert England, a direct descendant of England's of Ludham, the
Millwright family who built the Mill in 1820, the tower was restored. The mill is now leased to the Norfolk Windmill Trust who
have very successfully continued with the restoration.
Bob continued his work by rescuing derelict wind engines and restoring them to their original condition.
Morse's Wind Engine Park now has a historical collection of unique wind engines and a scoopwheel dating back to the nineteenth
century. The aim at the Park is to ensure the long-term conservation of the collection. It's a "not for profit" organisation,
which offers a membership scheme, which includes a copy of the twice-yearly publication "The Morse Messenger".
Items on show on the site include:
A Wallis-Titt wind engine, mounted on its tower
A second Wallis-Titt wind engine, mounted at ground level for closer inspection
A scoopwheel, built above ground, so that it can be seen working
A Newark wind engine
A Southern Cross wind engine
A Climax wind engine
The only known surviving steam engine built by Holmes of Prospect Place, Norwich, and its Appold style vertical axial turbine pump.
(This spent some time at the now closed Bygone Village Museum
before Bob Morse had to buy it back at auction when the village closed).
An all wooden marsh drainage windpump
An American wooden wind engine
An Aermotor wind engine
A reconstructed wooden wind engine by F Littlewood and Sons, from Iwade in Kent
There are a number of other smaller exhibits, principally Bob Morse's models of various windmills, which are currently in storage,
pending the fitting out of suitable exhibition space.
The collection is open to view on an appointment basis, which can be arranged via:
Mrs Debra Nicholson
Morse's Wind Engine Park
Marsh View
Staithe Road
Repps
Norfolk NR29 5JU
Telephone: - 01692 672155
E-mail:- debranicholson@windengines.com
Thurne mill is nearby, and is opened (and operated, wind permitting), April - September every 2nd & 4th Sunday of the month
between 2pm - 5pm.
In fact, the local area provides a very valuable insight into the whole history of wind energy. The Broads are still
used by many sail driven craft, then there is Thurne mill and many other brick built windpumps, Bob Morse's wind engine park,
nearby wind driven corn mills (such as the enormous Sutton mill), plus modern wind turbines producing valuable input into the
National Grid at Somerton, and offshore at Great Yarmouth.
Wallis Titt wind engine, 15 July 2006 Wallis Titt wind engine, 15 July 2006 Scoop wheel, 15 July 2006 Scoop wheel in action, 15 July 2006 Reconstructed wooden wind engine, 15 July 2006 American wooden wind engine, 15 July 2006 British wooden wind engine (awaiting repair), 15 July 2006 Southern Cross modern wind engine, 15 July 2006 Climax wind engine, 15 July 2006 Aermotor wind engine, 15 July 2006 Newark wind engine, 15 July 2006 General view of Morse's wind engine park, 15 July 2006 General view of Morse's wind engine park, 15 July 2006 General view of Morse's wind engine park, 15 July 2006 General view of Morse's wind engine park, 15 July 2006
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