Western Pumping Station
1860s: The main line of the sewer forming the Metropolitan Board of Works's western division drainage scheme, about 3.25 miles in length, ran from Chiswick-mall, passed close to the river and then along the Fulham Road and Walham Green, to Cremorne Gardens. Initially, the sewage was lifted by a temporary pumping station at this point.
1875 The line was later extended to the permanent pumping station near the Grosvenor Canal, the Western Pumping Station.
Four high-pressure condensing beam-engines, developing 360 hp in total raised sewage and storm water by 18 feet (5.5 m) from a low level sewer, to pump it to the Abbey Mills station at Barking. The station could pump 55 million gallons per day, and a backup non-condensing 120 HP engine was provided in case of failure of any of the main engines.[1]
From 1937 the pumping duty was taken over by four 600-horsepower W. H. Allen, Sons and Co diesel engines, and three pumps driven by electric motors to lift flows during dry weather.[2]. Three of the diesel engines remain in service.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ [1] Edward Walford, 'Pimlico', in Old and New London: Volume 5 (London, 1878), pp. 39-49. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol5/pp39-49 [accessed 26 September 2023]
- ↑ [2] Thames Water: Western Pumping Station
- The Engineer 1866/01/12