 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Pann Mill Open Days in 2010 will be
Water level permitting, the mill will be operating and grinding wholemeal flour, which will be available for sale. The river Wye, which powers the mill, is today fairly small. Although it is generally reliable, if we have a long dry spell, such as 2006, there may not be enough water for continuous operation. But that's authentic milling. However, with the weather as wet as it has been the river looks good for the remainder of the year. Refreshments, and other stalls, will be available. The project team is very small and, at present, we are unable to open more frequently. However, for educational or special needs something can usually be arranged, although actual milling will not be possible. The mill is located on the A40 London Road, at the Eastern end of the town. Click here for details. Disabled access is available to the ground floor. Buses from the East stop close by. Other buses stop in the Town Centre or at the bus station, a 5-10 minute walk. Chiltern Railways station is about 5 minutes walk away. Large public car parks are close by. If you have any questions, or would like to offer help or sponsorship, please feel free to e-mail the Project Manager at enquiries@pannmill.org.uk . -------------------------------------------------------------------------
Despite the recent rains the Wye, the river that drives the mill, was very low. Fortunately we had dropped in the sluices that divert the main flow into our rather small mill pond earlier in the week so that was full. The sluices that then divert the water into the leat were closed early in the morning and at about 10:00 am the head of water was building up and things started to look hopeful. The weather was a bit overcast but the forecast was for sun so again we were feeling optimistic. Other stalls were being set up so we dragged the display machinery out of the shed so that the all-important refreshment stall could take its place. After the problems we had experienced with the drive belt during the last Open Day we had gone out and found an expert (well he had more experience than us). He kindly provided some new alligator joints and pointed out that we had installed the previous ones upside down. It took careful examination to see the difference, but difference there was. So, the week before the Open Day we fought to remove the old joints and replace them with properly installed new ones. My word … (actually the language was a little more extreme ) aren’t the teeth on the old ones sharp…! Never mind, the blood probably wont affect the belt and I think my tetanus injections are up to date. Deft application of the usual big hammer had fixed the new joints into place, this time, hopefully, the right way up. With the water now high enough we decided that we had to test last week’s work. So, fill the hopper, open the control sluice and engage drive. Well the joints were ok but after a few minutes the belt fell off the pulley. Close the control sluice and put the belt back and try again. Repeat. At this point major dammage with a big hammer was averted by the lovely lady from the refreshement stall asking if we wanted coffee. Having placed our orders we fiddled with the belt tensionner and tried again. This time everything performed as it was supposed to and an increasing ammount of flour fell from the spout.
All too soon the day drew to a close; the stalls came down, the water was allowed to run back into the main river, stray coffee cups were rounded up, the last visitors were bid farewell and the site was put to bed at the end of another good day. Thanks are due to everyone who helped or just came to look. If you did come, we hope that you enjoyed it and will come again. If you were unable to come then perhaps you can join us next time. The next open day is on Sunday 8th May, 2005. -------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was the Sunday of National Mills Weekend when many water and wind mills were open across the country. The day dawned somewhat overcast but looked like brightening, which actually agreed with the forecast. The previous weekend had seen two full work days when we replaced the mill windows and lots of people had said that they would come for the proper open day. Wycombe District Council had done a good job with advertising and there was a fair on the Rye (the adjacent recreation ground) so we expected a good crowd. Lots of helpers had turned up to run the refreshment, plant, High Wycombe Society and other stalls so the site was bustling. Remembering the last open day we had taken the precaution of dropping the sluices in the river Wye and the bypass race, and raising the water level in the leat, the week previous. We had also briefly run the mill to make sure everything worked after the winter; it did, hooray! We should have known better ...
After we had repaired the belt a second time the mill got the message that we were in earnest and ran smoothly. One of the team members was kept busy filling the hopper with wheat and explaining about the stones, what a damsel does, and the history of the mill to a steady stream of visitors. Meanwhile the miller was trying to keep pace with the demand for flour without pushing the mill too much; we did not trust the belt joint completely. However, everything held together and the demand for flour was generally met despite several orders for 5kg. The sun was out and the crowds turned up and everyone was in good spirits. Spare team members were kept busy explaining about the mill and its restoration, how everything worked and generally keeping little children out of the works. Eventually it was time to pack up; the sluices were lifted, the leat was drained, the gardener complained we were washing away the soil again (we really must get round to fixing that wall), and the chairs, tables, winnower and other items were put back in store. It was a good day and thanks are due to everyone who helped or just came to look. If you did come, we hope that you enjoyed it and will come again. If you were unable to come then perhaps you can join us next time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was the last Pann Mill Open Day of the year. Unlike previous open days it did not coincide with any other major activities on the Rye Open Space adjacent to the mill so we had no idea what the attendance would be like. We need not have worried on that score, but we had worries a-plenty for other reasons. The team and helpers were on site early, but, oh horror, there is so little water in the Wye, the river that drives the mill. Due to the recent dry spell, the aquifers have been getting low and the spring that provides our river has been getting sluggish. Never mind, the sluices are dropped in and we hope that a head will build up before too long. Sluices are also dropped into the bypass race to divert water into the leat.
The water level is rising, slowly, the sun is getting warmer, visitors are arriving, and the tea stall is up and brewing. A good time to stop for a cup and explain to people what we hope will be happening in a little while.
The day moved on, the apprentice (he's actually nearly 60) oiled the bearings again (which makes a visible improvement to the running of the waterwheel), the drive belt fell off a few times (we'll get that fixed over the winter), and the miller got frantic trying to meet the demand for flour. However, the sun was out and the crowds turned up and everyone was in good spirits. Eventually it was time to pack up; the sluices were lifted, the leat was drained, the gardener complained we were washing away the soil again (ok, we'll fix that wall over the winter), and the chairs, tables, winnower and other items were put back in store. It was a good day and thanks are due to everyone who helped or just came to look. We hope that you enjoyed it and will come again for the next open day. |
This was the last Open Day of the year and, as last year, did not coincide with any organised event on the Rye open space. However, a lot of people who had visited on previous Open Days had said that they would come again and Wycombe District Council had provided some good advertising, so we expected a few people would turn up. 
The rest of the morning was fairly uneventful. The mill ran peacefully at about three-quarter speed, the sun came out and a steady stream of visitors arrived. Around lunch time we ran out of water and had to wait for it to build up again, but this did not take too long. The afternoon stayed fine. the belt fell off again and we twice ran out of water but it was generally a fairly uneventfull day. A good number of visitors did turn up and kept the flour seller and other stall holders busy. People of all ages find the working mill interesting and clearly appreciate the information provided by the stewards and team members. As an aid to teaching history the mill is first class. This day we had visitors from Australia, USA, Ukraine and various parts of the UK although most were, of course, from the local area. And it’s always nice to meet people who remember the old mill and even visited it when it was working to collect flour or meal. 
Ok, the sun is getting warmer, the flour selling tent is up, the floating debris has been raked off the surface of the leat and people are arriving, so lets open the control sluice and wake up the mill. Well, the waterwheel is turning and so is the pit wheel and layshaft but the stone drive is not turning because the drive belt is slipping; probably needs a little extra tension. With a loud bang the drive belt comes apart and is clearly not going to drive anything. It transpires that the alligator clip that holds the two ends of the belt together has pulled out of the belt. Not too disastrous as we have a spare, and deft application of a big hammer (the most useful tool in the mill) soon puts everything back together. This little diversion did give us the chance to talk to visitors and explain what should be happening soon. It was also an excuse for a cuppa now that the tea tent was up and brewing. 
About an hour later, and after various suggestions like running a hose from the water works next door, water starts running into the leat. The water also brings a fair ammount of floating debris that has to be raked off, and wakes up a rat dozing in the shade of some plants. Things are starting to look up. 
Water is now building up at the control sluice but is not stopping! The problem appears to be that one of the control racks has jumped off it's pinion and the sluice board is at an angle so that water is flowing past it. Yes, I know we want the water to flow, but we want to build up a head first and then contol it. So, forward the engineers, who dismantle and rebuild the control gear. They then do it a couple more times when the rack again jumps out of mesh when tested. Finally it works and the leaks are stopped. Isn't it amazing how many people will stop to watch other people working? Still, it gave us another opportunity to tell them about the mill and what we hope will be happenning in a little while.
Fortunately there were other attractions to keep people entertained like the flower stall, Chiltern Society stall, refreshments and, of course, the mill itself. Spare team members were kept busy explaining about the mill and its restoration, how everything worked and generally keeping little children out of the works. A good group went on the Water Trail, which is led by a team member and is always very popular, and starts and ends at the mill.
