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Ryhope Waterworks &
Museum
Ryhope Water
& Engines Museum
Ryhope pumping station was constructed in 1868 at a cost of
£9000 and worked for almost a century, it stopped pumping water in 1967 and was
later turned into a museum of water supplies, it can still be seen in action
today mostly Bank and Public holidays and is staffed by volunteers.
It has two double compound rotative steam engines with
centrifugal over-speed cut-outs, these are powered by the pumps. The beams weigh
22 tons each, and the flywheel weighs 18 tons, these are in the engine house,
the power house has three very large boilers supplying the steam for the
engines, outside there are two cooling ponds one north one south.
I would recommend a visit to this Museum especially on bank
holidays as other attractions are often on i.e. vintage cars, steam
tractors etc.
I worked
here for a while in the early sixties with fond memories
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The Museum
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The old managers house (now Tearooms)
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Fireman checking the fire in the boiler.
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One of the volunteers inspecting the tops of the boilers
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Controls for the steam engine.
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One of the two flywheels
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The tops of one of the two steam engines
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Connecting rod attached to one of the two beams
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The two Beams each one 22 tons
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Some of the exhibites of the museum.
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Exhibites of the museum.
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Exhibites of the museum.
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Exhibites of the museum.
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Exhibites of the museum.
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Exhibites of the museum.
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Exhibites of the museum.
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Exhibites of the museum.
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Exhibites of the museum.
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Exhibites of the museum.
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Exhibites of the museum.
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Blacksmith at work
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To the west of the Museum is the mental hospital opened in 1895,
to the east is the new St Paul's CE primary school and
across the road is the Ryhope General hospital
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