Historic pumping stations

There are two significant (in that you can visit them and they’re still operating) pumping stations on the Kennet & Avon Canal. Most of the water to the canal these days is supplied via rather pedestrian electrical (or previously diesel) pumps, or feeders diverted from other water sources, but when the canal was first opened the Claverton and Crofton pumping stations did the job in true Industrial Revolution style.

The Claverton Pumping Station employed a large wheel driven by the current of the nearby River Avon to lift water 48 feet/14.6 meters to the canal. The wheel is still owned by the Canal & River Trust and maintained by enthusiastic volunteers. Although the wheel no longer supplies water to the canal, you can still see it running alternate Saturdays each month from April to September (other Saturdays the pump house is open but the wheel isn’t running).

(Actually the Canal & River Trust still pumps water at Claverton and pipes it to the top of the Caen Hill flight of locks at Devizes, but there’s not much to see. Another pump at Foxhangers Wharf at the bottom of the flight also returns water to the top lock.)

While Claverton embodied the age of water power, the Crofton Beam Engines epitomized the age of steam power. Two great steam engines, situated on the summit of the canal, pumped water from Wilton Reservoir. Both engines were in regular service until 1952 but by 1959 the engines were abandoned. The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust, however, bought the pumping station in 1968 and again, enthusiastic volunteers restored the engines. You can visit the pumping station Wednesday-Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays from April to October, but the engines are only powered on certain steaming dates.