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with restoration in mind. The building and both engines were restored, and the existing irreparable boiler replaced with another of the same type acquired second hand. Number 1 engine was first successfully steamed on 4 April 1970 and the pumping station was officially reopened on 21 August the same
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in 1846 as a double-acting Sims patent combined cylinder engine and rebuilt in 1903 to a
Cornish Engine, is a single-acting, condensing engine with a bore of 42 inches (1,100 mm), a stroke of 7 feet 8 inches (2,340 mm) and indicated power of 42 kW (56 hp). It drives a
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In 1903 the 1846 engine was rebuilt as a simple single-acting engine and thus became the current number 2 engine. Both engines then continued in regular use until the 1950s, when the state of the chimney forced the removal of the top 36 feet (11 m). The reduced height chimney was unable to
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sunk from the pumping station, which is built on the hillside more than 40 feet (12 m) above the canal. The pumps take the water from this well and discharge it into a feeder channel next to the pumping station. The water flows along this channel under the force of
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For day-to-day operation, the pumping station now uses electric pumps, automatically controlled by the water level in the summit pound. However, the original steam driven pumping equipment has been preserved and is still operational. A single operable
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In 1846 the original 1809 engine was replaced by a new engine supplied by Harvey and Co. and built as a double-acting Sims patent combined cylinder engine. However, this engine proved troublesome and eventually fell into disuse.
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Booklet 'Crofton
Pumping Station' edition 2, printed by ESP Color Ltd in 2001, no explicit publisher or copyright details but believed to be published by the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust. Obtained from Crofton Pumping Station in
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The pumping station was built between 1807 and 1809 in time for the opening of the canal in 1810. The station was built to house two pumping engines, but only one, a 36-inch (910 mm) bore engine bought second-hand from the
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in the 1840s, is a single-acting, condensing engine with a bore of 42.25 inches (1,073 mm), a stroke of 7 feet (2,100 mm) and indicated power of 38.6 kW (51.8 hp). It drives a 30-inch (760 mm)
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In 1810 a second engine was ordered from
Boulton and Watt. This engine, which started work in 1812, is the current number 1 engine, and has been the main engine throughout the steam-driven life of the station.
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were found adjacent to the canal route about one mile (1.6 km) east of the summit pound, and about 40 feet (12 m) below it. Arrangements were made for these springs to feed the pound below
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built its railway line through the area, it passed very close to the station and between it and the canal. Access between the canal side and the pumping station is now via a very low roofed tunnel.
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In July 2009, the modern electric pumps at
Crofton failed. While awaiting repair, British Waterways contacted the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust who put Crofton into steam.
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When the canal was built, no reliable water sources were available to fill the summit by normal gravitational means. However, a set of usable
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capable of lifting 2,235 pounds (1,014 kg), or approximately one ton of water, per stroke, at a rate of 10.2 strokes a minute.
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In 2012 the
Boulton and Watt engine celebrated its 200th birthday. Several special steamings were held, including a visit from the
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capable of lifting 2,274 pounds (1,031 kg), or approximately one ton of water, per stroke, at a rate of 11 strokes a minute.
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provide sufficient draught for the boiler, and it proved cheaper to retire the steam engines and install electric pumps.
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in the world in its original engine house and capable of doing the job for which it was installed.
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The pumping station opens to visitors and the engines are in steam on designated days.
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until it reaches the summit pound about one mile (1.6 km) to the west.
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is preserved and operates on selected weekends. It contains an operational
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622:. Crofton Branch of the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust. 1999. pp. 32–33.
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682:"How an historic steam pump has taken over from a broken electrical one"
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639:. Crofton Branch of the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust. 1999. p. 34.
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Grade I listed pumping station in Great Bedwyn, United
Kingdom
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steam engine dating from 1812, making it the oldest working
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705:"Duke visits Marlborough's historic steam engines"
498:The beam gallery with the 1812 engine in operation
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389:, the canal and railway from the pumping station
327:Location of Crofton Pumping Station in Wiltshire
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522:In 1968 the pumping station was bought by the
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137:The pumping station on a running day in 1999
1616:Industrial archaeological sites in England
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109:Learn how and when to remove this message
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416:Water from below lock 60 was taken by a
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534:The pumping station was designated as
45:Please improve this article by adding
1631:Grade I listed buildings in Wiltshire
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1621:Grade I listed industrial buildings
655:"Crofton Pumping Station (1034049)"
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1606:Georgian architecture in Wiltshire
660:National Heritage List for England
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1661:Infrastructure completed in 1812
1370:Riverside Museum at Blake's Lock
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684:. Associated Press. 6 July 2009
445:provides steam to the engines.
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703:Kerton, Nigel (20 June 2012).
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1651:Water supply pumping stations
600:. Kennet and Avon Canal Trust
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1365:Kennet and Avon Canal Museum
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58:"Crofton Pumping Station"
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1641:Steam museums in England
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1580:: Administered by the
1546:Canal & River Trust
1421:Wilts & Berks Canal
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767:Crofton Pumping Station
637:Crofton Pumping Station
620:Crofton Pumping Station
505:West India Dock Company
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276:Crofton Pumping Station
126:Crofton Pumping Station
1626:Preserved beam engines
1521:Thomas Evans Blackwell
1399:Connecting navigations
1318:New Semington Aqueduct
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34:relies excessively on
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405:. Some years later a
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1636:Museums in Wiltshire
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709:Gazette & Herald
598:Crofton Beam Engines
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245:.croftonbeamengines
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1582:Environment Agency
1564:Thames Conservancy
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195:51.35827; -1.62511
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1534:Associations
1511:Dudley Clark
1485:John Padmore
1431:River Thames
1386:Wilton Water
1348:
1236:Bruce Tunnel
1113:Monkey Marsh
981:Oakhill Down
933:Heathy Close
759:
745:Bibliography
733:
724:
712:. Retrieved
708:
698:
686:. Retrieved
676:
664:. Retrieved
658:
645:
636:
619:
614:
602:. Retrieved
597:
588:
562:
550:
547:
540:
533:
521:
517:
513:
509:
501:
481:
467:
466:
448:
447:
439:
415:
411:Wilton Water
392:
387:Wilton Water
358:
356:with water.
350:summit pound
342:Great Bedwyn
337:
336:
213:SU 2615 6227
158:Great Bedwyn
120:
105:
96:
86:
79:
72:
65:
53:
33:
1506:John Thomas
1501:John Rennie
1277:High Bridge
1173:Sulhamstead
1143:Aldermaston
1137:Woolhampton
999:Picketfield
949:55–63
919:22–50
915:Seend Locks
913:17–21
907:15–16
714:26 November
666:29 November
451:, built by
378:Description
372:beam engine
193: /
169:Coordinates
1600:Categories
1252:New Bridge
1191:Burghfield
1047:Dreweatt's
1017:Hungerford
963:Burnt Mill
897:Bath Locks
895:7–13
580:References
477:force pump
284:1 May 1985
281:Designated
178:51°21′30″N
99:March 2015
69:newspapers
36:references
1454:John Hore
1286:Aqueducts
1213:107
1207:106
1201:105
1197:Southcote
1195:104
1189:103
1183:102
1179:Sheffield
1177:101
1167:Tyle Mill
1005:Cobbler's
939:Brimslade
873:Swineford
538:in 1985.
482:When the
462:lift pump
407:reservoir
346:Wiltshire
267:– Grade I
223:1807–1809
181:1°37′30″W
164:, England
162:Wiltshire
156:Crofton,
1171:90
1165:99
1159:98
1153:97
1149:Padworth
1147:96
1141:95
1135:94
1129:93
1123:92
1119:Colthrop
1117:91
1111:90
1105:89
1099:88
1093:87
1089:Greenham
1087:86
1081:85
1075:84
1069:83
1063:82
1059:Hamstead
1057:81
1051:80
1045:79
1041:Kintbury
1039:78
1035:Brunsden
1033:77
1027:76
1023:Dun Mill
1021:75
1015:74
1009:73
1003:72
997:71
991:70
985:69
979:68
973:67
969:Potter's
967:66
961:65
955:64
943:54
937:53
931:52
925:51
903:Bradford
901:14
879:Saltford
867:Keynsham
844:Features
688:8 August
567:See also
559:Visiting
527:year by
153:Location
1358:Museums
1245:Bridges
1224:Tunnels
1215:Blake's
1185:Garston
1131:Heale's
1125:Midgham
1107:Widmead
1083:Newbury
1077:Guyer's
889:6
885:Kelston
883:5
877:4
871:3
865:2
859:1
604:12 July
594:"About"
543:draught
490:History
427:gravity
418:culvert
395:springs
352:of the
293:1034049
238:Website
83:scholar
1209:County
1203:Fobney
1155:Towney
1101:Bull's
1071:Higg's
1065:Benham
945:Cadley
891:Weston
861:Hanham
401:60 at
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
1578:Notes
1379:Misc.
1161:Ufton
1053:Copse
852:Locks
751:2004.
472:Hayle
228:Owner
220:Built
90:JSTOR
76:books
1029:Wire
716:2015
690:2016
668:2015
606:2023
422:well
399:lock
359:The
247:.org
143:Type
62:news
1095:Ham
344:in
243:www
38:to
1602::
1562:,
732:.
707:.
657:.
653:.
628:^
596:.
555:.
160:,
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1558:(
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718:.
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608:.
409:(
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106:(
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97:(
87:·
80:·
73:·
66:·
43:.
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