Dogdyke Pumping Station
| Dogdyke Pumping Station | |
|
Lincolnshire | |
|---|---|
 Dogdyke Pumping Station | |
| Type: | Pumping station |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | TF20585583 |
| Location: | 53°5’10"N, 0°12’4"W |
| Village: | Tattershall |
| History | |
| Address: | Bridge Farm |
| Built 1856 | |
| Pumping station | |
| Information | |
| Website: | http://www.dogdyke.com |
The Dogdyke Engine is a drainage engine near Tattershall, Lincolnshire, built in 1856 to drain the fens and create rich farmland.
Contents
History
The drainage of 2,500 acres of land around Tattershall was authorised in 1796, and came under the control of the Witham Third District commissioners in 1844[1]
The Dogdyke Engine House dates to 1856 when a rotative beam engine was built to replace windmill style engines possibly dating to 1540 and draining land between the rivers Bain and Witham.[2] The engine discharged into the River Witham,[3] but has a long fetch from a drain parallel to the river called The Dogdyke Engine Drain originating just south of Kirkstead at a spot called Parkbeck.[4]
The building is a grade II listed building.[5]
Engines
- Bradley and Craven Beam engine and scoop wheel, built 1856
- Ruston & Hornsby Diesel engine and centrifugal pump, built 1940
- Ruston & Hornsby auxiliary engine.
Steam engine
The steam engine is maintained by a preservation trust, and steamed on weekends throughout the summer.[6] Although the Pinchbeck Engine is older, it can no longer be steamed. The preservation trust claim this is the oldest working steam drainage engine.[6]
The engine built by Bradley & Craven Ltd of Wakefield has a 16-foot flywheel, and a cylinder of 24-inch diameter and 48-inch stroke. [3] The construction is similar to an 'A' frame, but the decorative form of the cast iron upright obscures that basic shape and might be considered unique.
The scoop wheel is 24 feet in diameter and runs at up to 7rpm through a 4:1 gearbox from the engine.[3]
The first boiler, which lasted until 1909, was a twin tube Cornish type, working at 12psi. The replacement was a Lancashire boiler made by Fosters of Lincoln, delivering 15psi. Although the structure of this boiler survives, its rear end has been removed to make room for a modern vertical boiler which is used for the demonstration steamings.[3]
The original 100-foot chimney was struck by lightning in 1922 and reduced somewhat. It was felled in 1941 after the conversion to diesel operation.[3]
Diesel engines
The two diesel engines are maintained by The Witham Third District Internal Drainage Board as a standby for the nearby electric pumping station. They are usually operated when the museum is open.[6]
The steam engine was replaced in 1940 by a Ruston & Hornsby 7XHR diesel engine, serial number 194833, driving a 22 inch Gwynnes centrifugal pump.[3] This engine has a capacity of 23.6 litre.[6] The 7XHR design has a single horizontal cylinder of 10-inch bore, 18½-inch stroke, and develops 40 hp at 300rpm.[7]
There is also a Ruston & Hornsby 1VTO auxiliary engine, used to provide the starting air for the larger engine and to operate a small priming pump for the Gwynnes Limited pump.[6] The 1VTO design has a single horizontal cylinder of 4-inch bore, 4-inch stroke, and develops 5 hp at 1000rpm.[7]
See also
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Dogdyke Pumping Station) |
- Dogdyke Steam Drainage Station
- limited Tourist information summary
- The Witham 3rd IDB
- Video:
- The Dogdyke engine in steam - YouTube
- Scoopwheel in motion - YouTube
References
- ↑ Wheeler M.inst.C.E, W.H. (1868). History of the Fens of South Lincolnshire (1 ed.). Newcombe, Boston.
- ↑ Dogdyke Pumping Station: Heritage Gateway
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Hinde, K.S.G. (2006). Fenland Pumping Engines. Landmark. p. 175. ISBN 1-84306-188-0.
- ↑ @"IDB map showing start of engine drain". Archived from the original on 2012-03-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20120314185302/http://www.witham-3rd-idb.gov.uk/eMaps/mapper.php?scale=3&scale3map=558.
- ↑ National Heritage List 1215311: Dogdyke Pumping Station (Grade II listing)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 "The preservation trust web site". http://www.dogdyke.com/.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 {{cite web|url=http://realdiesels.co.uk/rustondata.html Table of Ruston & Hornsby Diesel engine parameters]: Real Diesels
