DOGDYKE PUMPING STATION PRESERVATION TRUST

The Trust promotes the preservation and demonstration for public benefit of the steam-operated land drainage station built in 1855. It is the only known example of a working steam-operated scoop-wheel pump. The steam engine was built in 1856 to replace an existing wind pump to drain a large area of farmland between the rivers Bain and Witham. The engine is the original, external condensing beam-engine built by Bradley & Craven of Wakefield. It is the only surviving engine by this builder and is possibly the oldest steam-driven scoop wheel land drainage pumping set in the country that is still in steam and in its original position. This is a 16hp steam engine driving a 24ft (7.3m) diameter scoop wheel with wooden floats that can lift 25 tons (22.7tonnes) of water. It once lifted water from the lower drain into the River Witham, but now the water is channelled back into the drain.