Introduction
A short and sweet one on this occasion. Usually, I would reserve these smaller stations for the photo thread but as it hasn’t been documented in detail with photos online, I feel it is still worthy of a full report.
Information & History
The Norfolk Broads is a low-lying area of natural beauty. Its unique landscape comprises an extensive network of rivers, ditches and marshland. Like The Fens, it is prone to flooding during the winter months, therefore it relies on a network of pumping stations to regulate the flow of water. Historically, windmills would be tasked with the prevention of flooding here but as technology progressed, powered pumps were used.
This particular station is situated west of Acle just off the River Bure. Prior to the construction of the current building, a drainage mill was in situ in the 18th Century according to Faden’s map of Norfolk published in 1797. At present, the site consists of a simple corrugated structure consisting of a large electric pump and motor setup alongside a switchgear box.
The installation also appears on 1900s OS maps:
The motor was manufactured by Metropolitan Vickers (Metrovicks) of Manchester & Sheffield. The motor produced 22 BHP and ran at 480 RPM. The serial number on the nameplate suggests this was manufactured in 1936. Metrovicks manufactured a large array of industrial electrical equipment including turbines, generators, switchgear and transformers. The company was taken over by General Electric Company (GEC) in 1967.
The Explore
This wasn’t planned and was a last-minute decision to have a quick look before the sun went down. I was on the way to Great Yarmouth to do some night photography with @JakeV50. We were pleasantly surprised and the evening sun coming in made for some nice shots. It is situated alongside a public footpath and was relaxed for the most part, other than a couple of dogs barking loudly at us and following us on the other side of the fence.
Photos
The walk down was great with the sun setting, The Broads has such a picturesque landscape:
The little pump house is hidden amongst lots of vegetation:
Heading inside...
Enjoying the lovely views and sunset before heading back to the car:
Thanks for looking.
A short and sweet one on this occasion. Usually, I would reserve these smaller stations for the photo thread but as it hasn’t been documented in detail with photos online, I feel it is still worthy of a full report.
Information & History
The Norfolk Broads is a low-lying area of natural beauty. Its unique landscape comprises an extensive network of rivers, ditches and marshland. Like The Fens, it is prone to flooding during the winter months, therefore it relies on a network of pumping stations to regulate the flow of water. Historically, windmills would be tasked with the prevention of flooding here but as technology progressed, powered pumps were used.
This particular station is situated west of Acle just off the River Bure. Prior to the construction of the current building, a drainage mill was in situ in the 18th Century according to Faden’s map of Norfolk published in 1797. At present, the site consists of a simple corrugated structure consisting of a large electric pump and motor setup alongside a switchgear box.
The installation also appears on 1900s OS maps:
The motor was manufactured by Metropolitan Vickers (Metrovicks) of Manchester & Sheffield. The motor produced 22 BHP and ran at 480 RPM. The serial number on the nameplate suggests this was manufactured in 1936. Metrovicks manufactured a large array of industrial electrical equipment including turbines, generators, switchgear and transformers. The company was taken over by General Electric Company (GEC) in 1967.
The Explore
This wasn’t planned and was a last-minute decision to have a quick look before the sun went down. I was on the way to Great Yarmouth to do some night photography with @JakeV50. We were pleasantly surprised and the evening sun coming in made for some nice shots. It is situated alongside a public footpath and was relaxed for the most part, other than a couple of dogs barking loudly at us and following us on the other side of the fence.
Photos
The walk down was great with the sun setting, The Broads has such a picturesque landscape:
The little pump house is hidden amongst lots of vegetation:
Heading inside...
Enjoying the lovely views and sunset before heading back to the car:
Thanks for looking.
Yeah I wouldn't want to end up down the pit...
