The first beam engines did not generate power by rotating a shaft but were developed as water pumps, mostly for draining mines.
Smelters are most economically located near the source of their ore, which may not have suitable water power available nearby.
In 1785 Kirkstall Forge near Leeds wrote to a customer, 'It will be convenient for us just now to roll a few tons because we have a full supply of water—and we cannot manufacture thin plate so well when our water is short.'
In the 1830s, the young Alfred Krupp was still beset by problems with water shortage in the Berne brook, driving the hammers of his Gusstahlfabrik.
[8] The first practical examples of these engines were installed in 1742 at Coalbrookdale,[9] at Nehemiah Champion's brass works at Warmley in 1749[10] and as improvements to the Carron Ironworks on the Clyde in 1765.
By the time of his later thermodynamic improvements, he had also developed his sun and planet gear and could offer engines that rotated directly.
As well as blowing furnaces, the rotary output of the water wheel was also used to drive mills and factory equipment, by use of lineshafts.