Ascott House Pumping Station, Ledburn, Buckinghamshire - June 2023

[Landie_Man]

Visited this one solo on a warm day a week or two ago. Another local one to me; nestled deep in the woods not far away, along a public footpath. I'd like to thank @Mikeymutt for the map; and @JakeV50 for filling me in with the history on his report. After doing the modern Anglian Pumping Station a few days prior; I thought I would tick this one off the list!

This decrepit Pumping Station is situated very close Ascott House. It has two parts remaining; the first part you come to, is quite a derpy sewage works which hasn't an awful lot going for it; dated from the mid 19th century and was used until the early 80s. The small Treatment House remains; along with three settling tanks. The remaining equipment includes installations by Thomas Crapper and by Farmer & Sons of Salford.

The second part of the site is by far the best. As with the former, this pump house was constructed in the mid 19th century and was in use until they connected the estate to the mains. The Pumping Station retains some amazing Original Equipment; but sadly the roof is beginning to collapse at an alarming rate of knots.

A rather lovely Crossley Gas Engine is remains in place; but is propping the roof up!. This engine previously had two fly wheels which powered the pumps and machinery, with water being pumped from a well beneath the building; via water softening vessels and up to a large Storage Tank in a Water Tower at the estates kennels.

Other than that, I'm not 100% sure about the rest of the story. I don't think there is long left for this one; and it most certainly requires long trousers due to its overgrown state.

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Thanks For Looking. More At:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/landie_man/albums/72177720309363923

 

[BikinGlynn]

Nice place, shame about teh shit graff in tehre again

 

[wolfism]

The remaining equipment includes installations by Thomas Crapper and by Farmer & Sons of Salford.

Quite like the overgrown, teetering-on-the-edge of collapse feel of places like this.

Farmers are an interesting firm - latterly known as Sir James Farmer Norton & Co. A while back, I picked up a few of their catalogues for linoleum making and cotton printing machinery. I think some of their foundry in Salford was still standing in the early days of exploring, c. early 2000's although it had become a car park by the time I checked it...

 

[Landie_Man]

Thanks Guys. Yeah, the graff spoils it all a bit

 

[Hayman]

Really deserving of preserving, to show how things were before the days of mains water. Thames Water is currently having its own effluent hit the fan.