The historic Claverton Pumping Station near Bath has this week been hit by the 17th flood since last October and hopes of opening the museum to the public this month are uncertain.
Flooding at the historic site | Photo © Claverton Pumping Station
Claverton Pumping Station is a giant Grade I listed working waterwheel and is a rare surviving example of the technology of the Georgian Regency period.
It was constructed in 1813 at the height of the Industrial Revolution and powers a large beam engine that pumps 50 gallons of water every two seconds from the River Avon up 48ft (over 14 metres) into the Kennet & Avon Canal.
The pump operated until 1952, remaining largely unaltered throughout its working life.
The station was restored by volunteers between 1969 and 1976 and is maintained and run by members of the Claverton Pumping Station Trust CIO, which has a partnership agreement with the building’s owner the Canal and River Trust.
The pumping station was designed to expect water and has survived hundreds of floods. The building has thick walls, drainage channels, and plenty of airflow. The team prepare by emptying the downstairs to stop items becoming waterborne which could damage the building and machinery.
However, the last couple of years have been exceptional and even worse flooding is predicted in coming years. The recent relentless flooding gives the building little time to recover which can lead to rot.
A post by Claverton Pumping Station on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday 28th March said: “A very inopportune moment for a sudden flood.
“We were halfway through cleaning and installing our guarding ready to open in two weeks. 16th of the season, unfortunately this may delay our opening.”
The next day the team said: “Flood 16 continues to rise through the building. We are meant to be opening in 11 days and running the engine in 15. We may need to cancel our April open days.”
On Easter Saturday they posted: “High water mark of 1.15 metres. Some water still in the building. Every horizontal surface caked in mud. Clean-up begins.”
Then on Bank Holiday Monday came the announcement: “This morning the 17th flood since October washed into the building. This is not normal, and this does not feel sustainable. Alongside repairs, it is clear we need to make changes to help us deal with the floods better.”
An online appeal – https://justgiving.com/campaign/claverton-floods – has now been set up with a £5,000 target for flood repairs or flood resilience projects.
Claverton Pumping Station’s first open day of the year is set for Tuesday 9th April, with the machinery due to run on Saturday 13th April. People are advised to check the museum’s website for updates.
