Papplewick PS - an outstanding example of Ornate Victorian Architecture, opened in 1884,
with two unique Watts Rotative Beam Engines.
This is Britain's finest Victorian Water Works and the only one in the Midlands to be preserved as a complete working fresh water pumping station. Papplewick PS was built between 1882 & 1884 to supplement the water supply for the growing city of Nottingham.
In the main building there are the two massive beam pumping engines, thought to be the last built by the famous firm of James Watt & Co. of Soho Works, Birmingham and London.
These two 140hp. Engines lifted water from the 200 foot deep well, dug into the sandstone subground and pumped the water up to the covered reservoir on the hill behind the station; and by gravity to parts of Nottingham.
These beams engines worked for 85 years and ceased regular operation in 1969, when electric pumps were fitted in the pilot well near the main gate. These automatic electric pumps saved the manpower required to stoke three of the 6 Lancashire boilers that feed steam to the two beam engines.