Thursday 28 July 2011

Lines of boats and little water

Monday 25th July - another hot, sunny day!
 Leaving Bedwyn Church Lock on our way to Crofton ...
 ... the water in the K&A is still very low ...
 ... we shared locks with Gill and John who live in Spain during the winter and on NB Waterloo Road in the summer - best of both worlds I say!
 Approaching Crofton Pumping Station
 Moored up, crossed the canal on the lock and under the railway line ...
 ... the roof is rather low!
 ... a great mooring, but unfortunately no internet and lots of very noisy trains!
 Crofton Pumping Station ...
I am not an engineer!  Although I found the exhibits interesting I have no idea (or interest for that matter) about how it all works - I've put some very brief explanations though - where I can!
 Looking down ...
... the well
 The furnace is ready to prime for the steam weekend at the end of the month
 click any of the pictures to enlarge ...
 ... although these look too big already!
 fascinating!
 Looking down at the well from high up!
 the beams ...
 ... and cylinders


 beam gallery
 When the pistons are serviced the rod has to be lifted out through this trapdoor in the roof!


 This guy has been looking after the pumping site since March this year after answering an advert.  He lives on site in this rather nice house and grounds and his wife and daughter run the excellent cafe where we ate lunch.
 This is where the water that is pumped comes out and is fed into the canal ...
... via this feeder which runs across the garden
 thought to be the only printed account in existence of the building of a Cornish Beam Engine
 Stunning landscape from the top of the pumping station
 Spent the rest of the afternoon very quietly watching ...
... the Canada Geese, having a BBQ and a glass or two!

2 comments:

  1. yes the train are nosiy at crofton put they go pass very slow and not many at weekends how far are you going down the K&A

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  2. Hi Anonymous - we're going as far as Bristol all being well. Please could I ask you to at least put you name at the end of your comment so that I'm not replying to you as 'anonymous'? Many thanks.

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