Coleham Sewage pumping station, Shrewsbury - geograph

Coleham Pumping Station is a historical

pumping station Pumping stations, also called pumphouses in situations such as well drilling, drilled wells and drinking water, are facilities containing pumps and equipment for pumping fluids from one place to another. They are used for a variety of infrastru ...

Coleham Coleham is a district of the town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire, England. It is located just south, over the River Severn, from Shrewsbury town centre. History Coleham grew up as a village outside medieval Shrewsbury, with the nearest crossing ov ...

Shrewsbury Shrewsbury ( , also ) is a market town, civil parish, and the county town of Shropshire, England, on the River Severn, north-west of London; at the 2021 census, it had a population of 76,782. The town's name can be pronounced as either 'Sh ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

History

The sewage pumping station was built at the end of the 19th century as part of a major upgrading of

sewerage Sewerage (or sewage system) is the infrastructure that conveys sewage or surface runoff (stormwater, meltwater, rainwater) using sewers. It encompasses components such as receiving drainage, drains, manholes, pumping stations, storm overflows, a ...

system. Two massive steam-driven

beam engine A beam engine is a type of steam engine where a pivoted overhead beam is used to apply the force from a vertical piston to a vertical connecting rod. This configuration, with the engine directly driving a pump, was first used by Thomas Newco ...

s were built by Renshaw's of

Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent (often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England, with an area of . In 2019, the city had an estimated population of 256,375. It is the largest settlement ...

during 1897–1898; and a brick building, resembling a Victorian chapel in style, was constructed in 1900 to house them. The pumping station was opened by the mayoress of Shrewsbury in 1901. The steam-powered pumps were used until 1970, when new electric pumps were brought into use. The ownership of the pumping station, including the building, engines and grounds, was transferred to

Shrewsbury and Atcham Shrewsbury and Atcham was a local government district with borough status in Shropshire, England, between 1974 and 2009. Shrewsbury was the only town in the borough; Atcham, although itself only a village, was included in the name as a reflect ...

Borough Council in 1974. It is now a museum run by Shropshire Museums (department of

Shropshire Council Shropshire Council is the local authority of Shropshire (district), Shropshire, in England, comprising the ceremonial county of Shropshire except Telford and Wrekin. It is a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority, having the powers ...

Preservation

Coleham Sewage Pumping Station - geograph

The Shrewsbury Steam Trust was founded in 1992 with the aim of restoring the steam engines and the two coal-fired

Cornish boiler A shell or flued boiler is an early and relatively simple form of boiler used to make steam, usually for the purpose of driving a steam engine. The design marked a transitional stage in boiler development, between the early haystack boilers and ...

s that provided the steam. One

boiler A boiler is a closed vessel in which fluid (generally water) is heated. The fluid does not necessarily boil. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications, including water heating, central h ...

was commissioned in 2002, allowing the Society to hold 'steam-up' days. Restoration of the second beam engine was completed on 27 September 2004, when it was operated for the first time in the 34 years since it was retired. Both steam engines may be seen running together on the several Open Days that are held at the museum each year.

External links

{{Commons category, Coleham Pumping Station * Facebook page
Hereofficial site
– ''History, pictures, opening times and more''
Shrewsbury Museums
– ''including opening times and prices'' Buildings and structures in Shrewsbury History of Shropshire Preserved beam engines Museums in Shropshire Steam museums in England Sewage pumping stations Infrastructure completed in 1900 Former pumping stations