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Peter Scott
United Kingdom
1240 Posts |
 Posted - 07/11/2010 : 18:16:57
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Yesterday I drove to Burton on Trent in my PA to visit the Claymills pumping station. The Victorian facilities with four beam engines was closed in 1971 but is now operated by a trust which took over the site in 1993. They have restored two of the four beam engines plus more than twenty small steam engines which drove various pumps, a DC generator and other pieces of equipment. Apart from the beam engines the most impressive facility is the workshop which they still use today to maintain and restore the site. They have a lot of the original machines many of which they use today powered by the line shafting.
Yesterday was supposed to be a non-steam day but fortunately for me there were special celebrations for the 50th birthday of one of the trust's directors. A very interesting site which I can thoroughly recommend to all of you who are interested in Victorian engineering.
The drive there and back was also very enjoyable as it was a beautiful sunny day if rather cold. Many layers required to keep warm.
Peter
PS website is http://www.claymills.org.uk/
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Edited by - Peter Scott on 07/11/2010 18:18:16 |
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John Reid
United Kingdom
704 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 16:22:06
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Peter,
Thanks for that - sounds an interesting place to visit and is only a 2 hour run from Cambridge. I'm not sure if Ian Davison checks this Forum, but I will drop him a line as I know he is interested in Victorian engineering.
John R |
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Peter Scott
United Kingdom
1240 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 16:45:28
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John
And a similar distance from you is Papplewick, which is north of Nottingham. This is a comprehensively restored water pumping station which I can thoroughly recommend. Even my wife and son, neither of whom knows one end of a spanner from the other, enjoyed visiting Papplewick, as it is Victorian engineering at its most beautiful. Its web site is not the best but does give a reasonable impression. http://www.papplewickpumpingstation.co.uk/
Peter
PS Claymills is very pre-war car friendly. They will find room for you to park on-site rather than in the off-site car park, even though space is limited.
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bloodysalmon
Spain
1482 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2010 : 10:59:34
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I can recommend Papplewick too as only being a stones-through away from me ... can smell the stoked coal sometimes ! Fantastic Forestry and Woodland Trust walks too.
Chris Blood (D0407, D0430 & F0753) |
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John Reid
United Kingdom
704 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2010 : 15:16:03
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Thanks Peter and Chris.
Sounds like we have two jolly outings to arrange!
John R |
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bahnisch
Australia
674 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2010 : 22:35:54
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| We have a "Humphery"(?) pump on our River Murray which used to be used for irrigation of orchards/vineyards. It was imported from the UK where it was used for many years to transfer water from the Thames (to storage?). The inflow of water acts as a piston and coke gas was ignited to force the water out. I think that it pumps some tons of water at each stroke. It is impresssive to see and hear running, all of the surroundings shake! It now runs, on "special days", on "bottled" gas. |
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Peter Scott
United Kingdom
1240 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2010 : 09:08:50
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quote:
Originally posted by bahnisch
We have a "Humphery"(?) pump on our River Murray which used to be used for irrigation of orchards/vineyards. It was imported from the UK where it was used for many years to transfer water from the Thames (to storage?). The inflow of water acts as a piston and coke gas was ignited to force the water out. I think that it pumps some tons of water at each stroke. It is impresssive to see and hear running, all of the surroundings shake! It now runs, on "special days", on "bottled" gas.
Very interesting, I had never heard of such a pump before. There is, of course, lots of info on the net. See http://www.humphreypump.co.uk/operating%20cycle.htm
I see that the model was displayed at Claymills.
By the way, it is spelt "Humphrey" after the designer Herbert Albert Humphrey.
Perhaps we should ask Nick for a 'Victorian engineering'. forum 
Peter |
Edited by - Peter Scott on 11/11/2010 19:41:54 |
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bahnisch
Australia
674 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2010 : 09:32:01
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| Peter, Many thanks. It is at Cobdogla (an aboriginal word/place, don't know the meaning), near the town of Barmera (another aboriginal word/place) and still in working order. |
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