Below are most of the remaining ram pumps in Yorkshire, bringing the total to 53 pumps in this county.
This excludes a few which were either locked, in someone’s garden, or otherwise awkward to access.
Overall just under 50% of the pumps indicated on old maps of Yorks were still there although it’s hard to be precise because labelling is not always reliable, and some are probably not recorded at all.
The source of the water being pumped can usually be guessed, but its destination, apart from being ‘uphill somewhere’, is hard to determine.
Luckily the two major manufacturer’s (John Blake and Green&Carter) have fairly complete records and will usually provide further details given a serial number.
I only made this sort of enquiry for one of the sites below (one of a couple near Pocklington).
Photos are phone and sites are ordered alphabetically with the date range for installation in brackets.
Aberford (1890 - 1906). Two rams, an Easton and a Blake in a sunken chamber with a hole in its roof.
The source of the water seems to have been a spring.
Reservoirs with ram pit in the distance.
Dalton Magna (1921 - 1934). A little ‘Caliban’ ram, which are not that common, fed from a spring.
This one was hard to find as it was getting dark and only the top of the air tank was visible in the undergrowth.
I excavated a bit before giving up due to darkness and mosquitoes.
Halifax (1892 - 1905). A small Blake lying on its side under ferns and rubbish, fed from a spring.
Harewood (1891- 1893). A munted Blake on the Harewood estate, probably powered by and pumping lake water.
Lindrick (1901 - 1916). A fairly hefty Blake in pieces, fed from a spring.
Reservoir and overflow pipe.
Before and after a bit of excavation.
Londesborough (1890 - 1908). A little Warner (I think), next to and below a lake so probably pumping lake water.
Pocklington (1909 - 1926). A Blake, fed from a spring.
This site has featured before in a recent compilation of pump houses because the right hand part of the hut contained a Godwin pump.
Reservoir with hut in the background.
continued
This excludes a few which were either locked, in someone’s garden, or otherwise awkward to access.
Overall just under 50% of the pumps indicated on old maps of Yorks were still there although it’s hard to be precise because labelling is not always reliable, and some are probably not recorded at all.
The source of the water being pumped can usually be guessed, but its destination, apart from being ‘uphill somewhere’, is hard to determine.
Luckily the two major manufacturer’s (John Blake and Green&Carter) have fairly complete records and will usually provide further details given a serial number.
I only made this sort of enquiry for one of the sites below (one of a couple near Pocklington).
Photos are phone and sites are ordered alphabetically with the date range for installation in brackets.
Aberford (1890 - 1906). Two rams, an Easton and a Blake in a sunken chamber with a hole in its roof.
The source of the water seems to have been a spring.
Reservoirs with ram pit in the distance.
Dalton Magna (1921 - 1934). A little ‘Caliban’ ram, which are not that common, fed from a spring.
This one was hard to find as it was getting dark and only the top of the air tank was visible in the undergrowth.
I excavated a bit before giving up due to darkness and mosquitoes.
Halifax (1892 - 1905). A small Blake lying on its side under ferns and rubbish, fed from a spring.
Harewood (1891- 1893). A munted Blake on the Harewood estate, probably powered by and pumping lake water.
Lindrick (1901 - 1916). A fairly hefty Blake in pieces, fed from a spring.
Reservoir and overflow pipe.
Before and after a bit of excavation.
Londesborough (1890 - 1908). A little Warner (I think), next to and below a lake so probably pumping lake water.
Pocklington (1909 - 1926). A Blake, fed from a spring.
This site has featured before in a recent compilation of pump houses because the right hand part of the hut contained a Godwin pump.
Reservoir with hut in the background.
continued