Four 1885 Beam Engines Pumped Sewage 24 Hours a Day — How They Ran for 75 Years Without Stopping

Описание: Claymills Pumping Station in Burton upon Trent houses four working beam engines by Gimson of Leicester, installed in 1885 to pump sewage. Each engine features a massive cast iron flywheel, bronze bearings designed for oil lubrication and regular replacement, accessible valve gear, and a
simple reciprocating design with minimal wear points. The engines ran continuously until the 1960s, then intermittently until final retirement. The station was designed with multiple independent engines so maintenance could occur while others operated. Five Thompson boilers (1936-37)
supplied steam, with coal-fired furnaces accessible for cleaning. Today, volunteers maintain all four engines in working order, demonstrating them regularly—over 140 years after installation....


WHY IT STILL WORKS
• Redundant engine design: four independent engines allowed maintenance rotation
• Simple reciprocating motion with few wear points
• Bronze bearings designed for replacement, not permanent installation
• Cast iron construction resists corrosion in sewage environment
• Accessible valve gear and linkages for adjustment and repair
• Oversized components: conservative engineering margins
• Steam power allowed variable speed operation reducing mechanical stress