Museum of Power
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| Location | Langford, Maldon |
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| Type | Industrial |
| Key holdings | Steam pumping engine |
The Museum of Power is located in the former Southend Waterworks (now Essex and Suffolk Water) Langford Pumping Station in Langford, Essex, England.[1] It is on the B1019, on the main road from Maldon to Hatfield Peverel.
History
[edit | edit source]Langford Pumping Station was built by Thomas and Charles Hawksley between 1924 and 1927, opening in 1929.[2][3] It continued pumping fresh (treated) water using steam engines until 31 October 1963, when electric pumps took over.[4] It is designed to extract water from the Rivers Chelmer, Ter, and Blackwater. The three inflows merge in a small settling reservoir, where sediment is naturally deposited, and then pumped for treatment, and again to a storage reservoir.[1] Two of the three engines and the boilers and coaling plant were scrapped in 1963, and the octagonal chimney was demolished in 1966.[4]
The pump house buildings and the remaining engine were declared scheduled monuments in 1986 and also received engineering heritage listed status from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 2012 as a result of the return to steam.[5]
Museum
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The surviving engine, Marshall, and pump set has been preserved and restored to operating condition by the museum's volunteers in 2011, and the museum operates the pump 6 days annually.[6] The engine, built by the Lilleshall Company of Oakengates in Shropshire, is a triple-expansion steam engine built in 1931 and numbered 282. Museum research shows that 'Marshall' was the last triple-expansion engine to be built by the Lilleshall Company and is the only one of its kind in the UK still in its original location, with its original pump sets.[1]
The museum operates the Langford and Beeleigh Miniature Railway, which offers passenger rides around the museum, as well as Astaria, the only model village in Essex.[7][8] The museum hosts major events such as the Easter Transport Fest, Classic Vehicle & Vintage Show, American Car Show, and Bike Meet, which see a large array of visiting vintage cars, motorbikes, and American and custom vehicles on display.[9] It is also the home of Essex's major steampunk event, which takes place every September.[10]
See also
[edit | edit source]- Internal Fire Museum of Power, a museum of internal combustion engines in West Wales
- Prickwillow Museum
- Stretham Old Engine
- Cambridge Museum of Technology
References
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