Another collection of little places pumping water but not powered by it.
All in Warwickshire this time, mainly because I’ve recently had to visit Coventry a few times.
Most of these rural pump houses contain just scraps but the first two here at least have pumps - the third is more interesting, being fairly complete.
Photos are phone.
a. Starting with one near Draycote Water, the pump house appears between 1903 and 1923, before the valley was turned into a reservoir.
The only thing left is the pump sitting in its demolished house, with an underground tank nearby.
Thomas and Son of Worcester marketed ‘Climax’ pumps to go with their ‘Climax’ windmills.
The ad below shows a pump identical to this one although it seems likely their pumps were actually designed or made by Coventry Climax, better known for engines.
Funny-looking sheep in these parts.
b. Another pump-only one, near Warwick.
This again appears in the early 1900s, and pumped well water for a house.
Below is the only thing I could find written on the pump.
The well has an electric submersible down it although it didn’t look like it had been used in a while.
c. The last one near Coventry once pumped water for an estate, appearing between 1886 and 1903.
Available history suggests that it pumped to either estate buildings or reservoirs.
The reservoirs are still there - the largest predates the pump house and is now just a bog surrounded by embankments.
Nearby is a hut with a couple of deep tanks.
Further down the hill is the remains of a more recent Braithwaite metal reservoir.
The pump house has a concrete base next to it, which I initially assumed was for a water tower.
It may have been, although maps show it was originally a wind pump, shown as disused by 1923.
Inside there’s an electric motor driving a Tangye single cylinder double action pump, with water coming from a well.
The electric motor here is probably not the original one - Higgs made motors in Witton between 1912 and 1924.
The estate once had a DC generating station for electric lighting, running on coal or coke, and this would presumably have fed the original motor.
I had a look for this little power station, but only found lumps and rubble at the likely location.
All in Warwickshire this time, mainly because I’ve recently had to visit Coventry a few times.
Most of these rural pump houses contain just scraps but the first two here at least have pumps - the third is more interesting, being fairly complete.
Photos are phone.
a. Starting with one near Draycote Water, the pump house appears between 1903 and 1923, before the valley was turned into a reservoir.
The only thing left is the pump sitting in its demolished house, with an underground tank nearby.
Thomas and Son of Worcester marketed ‘Climax’ pumps to go with their ‘Climax’ windmills.
The ad below shows a pump identical to this one although it seems likely their pumps were actually designed or made by Coventry Climax, better known for engines.
Funny-looking sheep in these parts.
b. Another pump-only one, near Warwick.
This again appears in the early 1900s, and pumped well water for a house.
Below is the only thing I could find written on the pump.
The well has an electric submersible down it although it didn’t look like it had been used in a while.
c. The last one near Coventry once pumped water for an estate, appearing between 1886 and 1903.
Available history suggests that it pumped to either estate buildings or reservoirs.
The reservoirs are still there - the largest predates the pump house and is now just a bog surrounded by embankments.
Nearby is a hut with a couple of deep tanks.
Further down the hill is the remains of a more recent Braithwaite metal reservoir.
The pump house has a concrete base next to it, which I initially assumed was for a water tower.
It may have been, although maps show it was originally a wind pump, shown as disused by 1923.
Inside there’s an electric motor driving a Tangye single cylinder double action pump, with water coming from a well.
The electric motor here is probably not the original one - Higgs made motors in Witton between 1912 and 1924.
The estate once had a DC generating station for electric lighting, running on coal or coke, and this would presumably have fed the original motor.
I had a look for this little power station, but only found lumps and rubble at the likely location.
