Introduction
Continuing our hunt for old pumping stations around the washes in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, me and @V50jake went to check out this and a few other sites last weekend. This is one I found on satellite imagery. It looks quite small on satellite imagery but was actually really nice.
Information & History
I’ve searched and searched for information on this site, but can’t seem to find much. It is situated on the Old Bedford River which was cut in the early 1600s and was completed in 1637. Lake Farm Pumping Station is the last pumping station on the Old Bedford River. It is a privately owned facility and drained a small part of the Ouse Washes. It is unknown how long this station has been disused.
The building itself is located on a public bridleway/footpath and is constructed of brick, there is a small roof vent that would have let out diesel fumes from inside and there is also an exterior light fixture. On the interior, the station consists of a centrifugal pump which is powered by a beautiful Blackstone diesel engine via a drive belt that runs to the pump. There are also a couple of chart recorders and a control panel near the engine. I showed @mingerocket a short video walkaround of the site on my visit as he knows more about these than I do and reckons the engine is around 30HP.
The site appears as a draining pump in early 1900s OS Maps, but also shows an L-shaped building beside the existing structure, so perhaps the site used to be larger.
The Explore
The visit itself was relaxed but it was quite a long walk, which can be said for many of the pumps me and Jake have visited recently in the area. I initially thought there was no entry points, but we found a loose board, it was a very tight squeeze as we didn't want to damage the board or screws. I really liked this place as it has some very old-school machinery inside but did find it a pain to photograph due to the lighting.
Onto the photos, starting off with some exterior pics:
Inside, we were greeted with the lovely old pump:
The Blackstone engine appears to be in pretty good condition:
Nice old wooden doors:
The belt which runs down to the pump:
Control panel & electrical board, with the chart recorders:
Some detail shots:
And finally, the outlet which goes into the Old Bedford River:
And that is all, thanks for looking!
Continuing our hunt for old pumping stations around the washes in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, me and @V50jake went to check out this and a few other sites last weekend. This is one I found on satellite imagery. It looks quite small on satellite imagery but was actually really nice.
Information & History
I’ve searched and searched for information on this site, but can’t seem to find much. It is situated on the Old Bedford River which was cut in the early 1600s and was completed in 1637. Lake Farm Pumping Station is the last pumping station on the Old Bedford River. It is a privately owned facility and drained a small part of the Ouse Washes. It is unknown how long this station has been disused.
The building itself is located on a public bridleway/footpath and is constructed of brick, there is a small roof vent that would have let out diesel fumes from inside and there is also an exterior light fixture. On the interior, the station consists of a centrifugal pump which is powered by a beautiful Blackstone diesel engine via a drive belt that runs to the pump. There are also a couple of chart recorders and a control panel near the engine. I showed @mingerocket a short video walkaround of the site on my visit as he knows more about these than I do and reckons the engine is around 30HP.
The site appears as a draining pump in early 1900s OS Maps, but also shows an L-shaped building beside the existing structure, so perhaps the site used to be larger.
The Explore
The visit itself was relaxed but it was quite a long walk, which can be said for many of the pumps me and Jake have visited recently in the area. I initially thought there was no entry points, but we found a loose board, it was a very tight squeeze as we didn't want to damage the board or screws. I really liked this place as it has some very old-school machinery inside but did find it a pain to photograph due to the lighting.
Onto the photos, starting off with some exterior pics:
Inside, we were greeted with the lovely old pump:
The Blackstone engine appears to be in pretty good condition:
Nice old wooden doors:
The belt which runs down to the pump:
Control panel & electrical board, with the chart recorders:
Some detail shots:
And finally, the outlet which goes into the Old Bedford River:
And that is all, thanks for looking!
