Pinchbeck Engine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pinchbeck Engine |
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The engine house
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| Type | Beam engine |
| OS grid reference | TF 26174 26148 |
| Built | 1833 |
| Owner | Welland and Deepings Internal Drainage Board |
| Official name: Pinchbeck engine | |
| Reference no. | 1004966 |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name: Pinchbeck Engine Drainage Pump | |
| Designated | 13 January 1988 |
| Reference no. | 1146782 |
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The Pinchbeck Engine is a special kind of machine. It's a large steam engine that was built in 1833. Its main job was to pump water away from the land. This helped to drain the Pinchbeck Marsh. This marshy area is located north of Spalding, in Lincolnshire, England.
The engine worked for many years. It pumped water into a channel called the Blue Gowt. This channel then joined the River Glen at Surfleet Seas End. The Pinchbeck Engine stopped working in 1952.
A Museum of Water Power
In 1952, the Pinchbeck Engine was replaced. Newer electric pumps could do the job better. The old engine was then left alone for a while. But in 1979, it got a new life. It was opened to the public as a museum.
Today, the museum teaches visitors about land drainage. The old coal storage area is now part of the museum. You can also see the original blacksmith's shop. It looks just as it did when the engine was working. The museum is run by the Welland and Deepings Internal Drainage Board. This group manages water levels in the area. The engine buildings are very important. They are listed as a Grade II building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
The engine's tall chimney was taken down in 1952. The boiler, which made the steam, is too old to be used now. But you can still see the engine. It's a static display. An electric motor can even turn it slowly for demonstrations. This helps people see how it once worked.
How the Beam Engine Worked
The Pinchbeck Engine is a type of steam engine called a beam engine. It had a power of 20 horsepower (15 kW). A large metal beam moved up and down above the engine. This beam was supported by an 'A'-shaped frame. The famous Butterley Company built this engine in Ripley, Derbyshire.
The engine had one large cylinder. It was 35 inches (89 cm) wide and had a 56 inches (1.42 m) stroke. A huge flywheel, 18 feet 6 inches (5.64 m) across, helped keep the engine running smoothly. The engine could spin up to 30 times every minute.
The engine was connected to a giant scoop wheel by gears. This wheel was in a room next door. The scoop wheel had 40 paddles around its edge. It was 22-foot (6.71 m) in diameter. This wheel could lift a lot of water. It could move up to 7,500 imperial gallons (34,000 L) of water every minute. It lifted the water about 8-foot (2.44 m) high.
The amount of water pumped each year changed. It could be as much as 3,690,000 long tons (3,749,000 t) tons of water. The engine usually ran for about 180 days each year. An engine operator lived on site. They were always ready to keep the engine running.
The boiler that made the steam was from 1895. It was a Lancashire boiler with two furnaces. It produced steam at 12 psi (83 kPa). The engine used about 1 cwt (51 kg) of coal every hour. Coal first arrived by barge. Later, a railway line was built. Coal then came by train to a nearby goods yard. From there, it was moved on a very short narrow gauge railway. People pushed the coal tubs along this track. One of these old coal tubs and a small piece of track are now on display at the museum.
The Pinchbeck Engine is very special. People say it's the oldest 'A'-frame engine still in its original place. It also worked for the longest time among beam engines in the Fens. And it was the very last one to be used for drainage.
See also
- Pode Hole where the Welland and Deeping IDB have another museum.
- Dogdyke Pumping Station
- Stretham Old Engine
