~ A Rare and Unusual Walnut Eight Day Longcase Clock with Newcomens Type Industrial Steam Beam Engine Automata Dial Display, signed Thompson, Whitehaven, circa 1740, broken arch pediment, hood with Ionic fluted canted columns, crossbanded trunk door, matching plinth with canted corners, 12-3/4-inch arch brass dial with chapter ring signed, dial centre with scroll and bird engraved decoration, seconds and date aperture, dial with engraved borders, dial arch with a beam engine automata, four pillar movement with an anchor escapement and rack striking on a bell, 237cm high see illustrations This unusual automatum shows an early example of Newcomens type steam beam engine. Newcomen invented in 1712 the world's first atmospheric steam engine. The engine was designed to pump water using a vacuum created by condensed steam. In the Industrial Revolution in Britain this became an important method of draining water from deep mines. 29.01.20 Case needs restoring, some veneers are missing and some mouldings are missing, veneers are lifting in parts, veneers with some cracks and chips in parts, hood appears to have mouldings missing around the lower edge which shows a gap when the hood is fully pushed on, front of the plinth is cracked, later feet, dial is dirty and needs cleaning, movement needs cleaning, with pendulum and two weights, pendulum bob has broken off the pendulum rod.