West Ham Pumping station was constructed by the borough under powers obtained in the West Ham Corporation act 1893, and, until it was abandoned in January 1972, pumped sewage from the West Ham area to the Northern Outfall Sewers.
The buildings are less distinguished than those of Abbey Mills and their interest lies in the original steam-powered pumping plant, now disused. This comprises two compound (two cylinder) engines built by the Lilleshall Company of Shropshire, each with a high pressure cylinder of 2'6" diameter and a low pressure cylinder of 4' diameter. Each has a cast iron beam 30' long weighing 17 tons and a flywheel 22' diameter and drove two bucket pumps 5'6" in diameter, which lifted dry weather flow over 40'. Steam was generated in the adjacent boiler house, in seven of the original nine Lancashire boilers built by Spur Inman of Wakefield. The Octagonal brick chimney was 120' high.
To cope with additional storm flows, the station had three reciprocating steam engines driving centrifugal pumps. John Cochrane of Barrhead built two of the engines. The third was purchased second-hand and its origin unknown.
A sewer has now been constructed to divert flow to Abbey Mills Pumping Station, and West Ham Pumping Station has become redundant.
The engines have unfortunately suffered in the hands of vandals in the past. The damage is mostly spray painting, with minor damage to some oilers etc, so not too bad. The building is now secure and the site is occupied, so they should remain safe for now.
I apologise for the video being a bit dark. I'm hoping to get back there and record some better footage soon,if there is enough interest.
Filmed using an Olympus C-770 and wide angle converter WCON-07
Keywords: Crossness, Engines, Ham, Lilleshall, Steam, West
