Middleton Pumping Station..Norfolk, June 2022

[Mikeymutt]

A short and sweet one this, but I really liked it. Spotted it on old online maps a while back And then looking at it on Google maps it looked like it still remains. So I took the drive out to have a look. It was a little bit of a walk to it but nothing too bad. I was a bit disappointed when I got to it and see the main wall was graffitied up. I mean who walks all that way in the middle of nowhere to spray a wall. Anyway it’s just basically a small pump house with a chimney behind and I was really happy as I looked around the back off the wall to see the scoop wheel still in situ. The engine house sadly is just a collapsed shell. I was struggling to find anything on it. Then come across a small piece on it from Norfolk heritage.
it was originally the site of a wind pump and was replaced in 1877 to lift warter into the Middleton stop drain. Built by Sir Lewis Whincop Jarvis, the building was built of English light red bond. The steam engine used to power it was a 10hp non condensing vertical with reduction geared scoopwheel. The feed water pump was driven by the engine too, but was later replaced with an injector. The pump house closed in 1934 but machinery was not dismantled till 1975. It’s the only upstanding example in the Norfolk fens.
When there I wondered how the scoop was powered. My first though was a steam engine, maybe replaced by a turbine of sorts.

 

[Bobski64]

An old childhood haunt of mine

 

[Hayman]

"The feed water pump was driven by the engine too, but was later replaced with an injector." The same thing happened with railway locomotives about the same time if not earlier. The disadvantage with a feed water pump was that the loco had to be moving for the pump to work. This was got around with steam rollers and traction engines by having them running in 'neutral', with the transmission not connected. That is why at steam fairs today one will often see steam rollers and traction engines 'ticking over while stationary'. There is a purpose apart from showing the flywheel, cranks and motion in action. I take it there were cast iron 'buckets' attached to the remaining wooden extremities of the scoop wheel; but they were taken for scrap. I'm surprised how narrow the wheel is.