Whitehall Road power Station - circulating pump house

Image: © Chris Allen Taken: 29 May 1990

In 1899 and 1900 two Belliss & Morcom triple expansion steam engines were installed in the power station to direct drive 2 phase alternators (yes 2 phase). When the power station was upgraded with turbo-alternators the redundant reciprocating engines were coupled to centrifugal pumps and used to circulate water from the Aire through the condensers of the T/A sets. They were maintained in standby condition until 1974 and were removed for preservation in 1992. Unfortunately they were ultimately scrapped along with other important engines, having never been reassembled or put on display. Their fate is typical of that befalling the early days of electricity generation in the UK. Nearly all the older items were long since scrapped and more modern plant is just too big to be preserved. Thus one of our important industries has little to show for its earlier prime movers. It's one thing to save meters and switch gear but something else to save larger engines or turbines. The best representation of an earlier power station is to be found at Claymills Victorian pumping Station in Burton upon Trent. The cylinders were 19", 28" & 43" bores by 16" stroke. As relocated they were rated at 750 horsepower at 320 rpm on steam at 200 pounds per square inch. This view is down the pit in front of one of the engines. The big sloping pipe in the foreground is the river water suction to the Rees Roturbo centrifugal pump. The black lump in the left background looks like an oil separator. In the centre is the surface condenser with the atmospheric diverter valve sat on top of it. This probably a very rare picture as the peripheral plant was probably even less photographed than the main engines.

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