Report - Rural Pump Houses 9 (Wiltshire, Oct, 2022)

[urbanchemist]

Another from the backlog, this was a drive-by on the outskirts of Salisbury.
No name or history that I can find but the structure is shown on maps by 1900.

Photos are phone plus head torch, although I should probably have used a camera in here as it was quite dark.

An extension at the rear has a cupboard with some tanks for water treatment.

The main room has a fairly recent (ca. 70s) generator and electric pumps.

Whatever drove the original pump was on the plinth with the storage cabinet, with power transmitted to main well pump via some shafting.

Both the pump and ballast tank say ‘CLIMAX’ on them, but the pump design looks more like one by Duke and Ockenden, ca. 1900.
The well.

 

[dansgas1000]

Amazing find. So are you suggesting even if the pump says Climax it may not necessarily be one of theirs, or may have been modified or built in conjunction with another company's design?

 

[Steambod]

Interesting: so, rough guess, Climax deep well pump presumably driven originally by a single cylinder diesel or oil engine via the line shafting. Later replaced by a 3phase generator driving submersible pumps (If those are cables dropping down the well) and the two electric pumps probably used to pump to the customer. Probably all made redundant when a mains supply was brought in (blue pipe). Was this a private supply or serving a hamlet?
Talking of private pumping stations in the area, back in the 80s we camped near Little Durnford Manor north of Salisbury. There was an interesting little building with a low head turbine fed from a leat off the river with a sluice and bywash. The turbine drove a pump which drew water from an adjacent well and pumped it somewhere else, possibly to the manor or one of the other houses.

 

[GRONK]

Lovely that mate, some real beauty in there

 

[Bikin Glynn]

Thats rather nice with the chains over the pump wheels is a bit different.
Cant believe u cant find any history though 🙄

 

[HughieD]

Fabs stuff as always @urbanchemist

 

[albino-jay]

Looks good that. That ford dealership was down the road from where i grew up.

I take it Climax is Coventry Climax? I used to have hillman imps and the engine was derived from a coventry climax engine, which was a fire pump. From what I remember anyway.

 

[urbanchemist]

So are you suggesting even if the pump says Climax it may not necessarily be one of theirs, or may have been modified or built in conjunction with another company's design?

Don't know - Thomas and Son of Worcester and Coventry Climax both made climax pumps which confuses things.

Interesting: so, rough guess, Climax deep well pump presumably driven originally by a single cylinder diesel or oil engine via the line shafting. Later replaced by a 3phase generator driving submersible pumps (If those are cables dropping down the well) and the two electric pumps probably used to pump to the customer. Probably all made redundant when a mains supply was brought in (blue pipe). Was this a private supply or serving a hamlet?

Yes, looks like there were several iterations of equipment in there. The external wheel (visible in the last picture) driven by the triple chain next the counterweight mechanism suggests farm use.

Talking of private pumping stations in the area, back in the 80s we camped near Little Durnford Manor north of Salisbury. There was an interesting little building with a low head turbine fed from a leat off the river with a sluice and bywash. The turbine drove a pump which drew water from an adjacent well and pumped it somewhere else, possibly to the manor or one of the other houses.

Well if you're local and can remember where it was go see if it's still around - (water) turbine-driven water pumps are not that common.

 

[Calamity Jane]

Lovely images as per. Great wheel shots

 

[tigger]

Very nice. It's a strange location with nothing close by to suggest the need for a relatively large pump house.
Loving the Climax pump - almost certainly from Emanuel Thomas, predating Coventry Climax pumps.