Tucked away in Vernon Oaks plantation hides this little red brick pump house.
The building now with a collapsed slate roof contains a double ram reciprocating pump. This was driven by steam engine and pumped water from the borehole detailed on the borehole register (see photos) to supply Vernon Oaks farm (now called Sudbury Manor) and the nearby cottages on the roadside next adjacent.
The steam engine is unfortunately missing but the vertical steam boiler is lying half burried in the nettles and wild garlic.
The steam engine could have also driven the line shaft on the ceiling that would in turn have driven any other machinery connected by belt to the pulleys.
An electric motor driven multistage pump has been installed at a later date to replace the ram pump but this is also disused and nowhere near as impressive as the ram pump. Pipework on the electric pump and the orientation of the none return valves confirm that this also pumped from the borehole and out of the building.
History was difficult to come by for this one and unfortunately the Borehole scan is pretty vague and gives no depth, date or water chemistry.
The explore
The route through the plantation is very overgrown with nettles and the biggest most vicious triffids like thistles I've ever seen.
The stream running through the woodland is tranquil and surrounded by wild garlic.
A nice stroll on a dry day but I imagine due to ground water and a the stream it could get very boggy.
And off we go into the woods
Maps and borehole data
See note, supply's Vernon Oaks Farm and cottages.
Electric motor driven multistage pump
Suction pipe
None return valve on discharge pipe.
One of my favourites finds so far and I can help but wonder what the steam engine was like.
The building now with a collapsed slate roof contains a double ram reciprocating pump. This was driven by steam engine and pumped water from the borehole detailed on the borehole register (see photos) to supply Vernon Oaks farm (now called Sudbury Manor) and the nearby cottages on the roadside next adjacent.
The steam engine is unfortunately missing but the vertical steam boiler is lying half burried in the nettles and wild garlic.
The steam engine could have also driven the line shaft on the ceiling that would in turn have driven any other machinery connected by belt to the pulleys.
An electric motor driven multistage pump has been installed at a later date to replace the ram pump but this is also disused and nowhere near as impressive as the ram pump. Pipework on the electric pump and the orientation of the none return valves confirm that this also pumped from the borehole and out of the building.
History was difficult to come by for this one and unfortunately the Borehole scan is pretty vague and gives no depth, date or water chemistry.
The explore
The route through the plantation is very overgrown with nettles and the biggest most vicious triffids like thistles I've ever seen.
The stream running through the woodland is tranquil and surrounded by wild garlic.
A nice stroll on a dry day but I imagine due to ground water and a the stream it could get very boggy.
And off we go into the woods
Maps and borehole data
See note, supply's Vernon Oaks Farm and cottages.
Electric motor driven multistage pump
Suction pipe
None return valve on discharge pipe.
One of my favourites finds so far and I can help but wonder what the steam engine was like.
