[modeleng] Re: Pumps
- From: "Clif Walker" <clif.gwr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 19 Nov 2004 17:25:15 -0000
Hi All,
For a number of years I lived in the Fens.
An interesting fact is that the more water they pump out to stop the land
from flooding,the lower the land gets owing to soil shrinkage which in turn
makes it more likely to flood.
One of these days most of it is going to disappear.
In some areas it is also most unusual when driving along to have to drive up
a steep ramp to get to a bridge over one of the major rivers.This is because
the rivers levels are now so much higher than the land because of the
shrinkage
People who live there have an extra charge on top of their Council tax and
Water rates of a pumping charge.
There is also nowhere more dodgy to drive in the Winter when the roads are
icy.Some of the dykes are huge and most of the roads run alongside them with
only about 3 feet of grass verge before a 40 foot drop with a 45 degree
angle down to the water.You do learn how to control skids.
There was also a term called "dyking" which happened to cars on some of the
smaller dykes.This was when a car sort of sailed across the dyke and smashed
it's front in against the opposite bank and then either wedged between the
banks or fell into the water.
All in all an interesting place not to be.
Regards
Clif
----- Original Message -----
From: "alanjstepney" <alan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, November 19, 2004 3:15 PM
Subject: [modeleng] Re: Pumps
> Al, yes the Fens are part of and adjacent to this area.
>
> In fact, the first drainage canals in that area were built by the Romans.
> After that, nothing much happened until the Dutch were bought in and they
> improved some rivers, added to existing drainage and built a lot more.
>
> Since then it has been a continuous battle against the elements. With
rising
> sea levels, any storm can bring massive flooding. (Who remembers the East
> Coast floods of the early 50's? One of the first major disasters where
> communication was provided by Hams.)
>
> This new pump is just the latest effort to fight nature.
>
> I still reckon 5,000 tons of water an hour is an awful lot!.
>
> alan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> www.alanstepney.info
> Model Engineering, Steam Engine, and Railway technical pages.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Allen Messer" <al_messer@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Friday, November 19, 2004 1:14 PM
> Subject: [modeleng] Re: Pumps
>
>
> I do not have the answer, but have a question of my
> own. Is this the area known years ago as "The Fens"
> and its draining was first proposed to Elizabeth I by
> some Dutch engineers during her reign?
>
> Al Messer
>
>
> --- alanjstepney <alan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>
> > As I am sure most here will know, the early water
> > pumping engines were beam
> > engines, a few of which still exist.
> > I am always amazed to see the volumes that they
> > pumped.
> >
> > However, that pales into insignificance beside the
> > latest pumps.
> > According to the BBC,
> >
> > The Government has announced that funds are likely
> > to be available for a
> > £40m scheme to protect 250,000 people in Cambs and
> > Norfolk from regular
> > floods.
> > The cash is for an upgrade of a pumping station,
> > near King's Lynn in
> > Norfolk, that protects thousands of homes.
> > The 70-year-old station controls one of the largest
> > areas of agricultural
> > land below sea level in Europe.
> > The pumping station houses one of the largest pumps
> > in the UK and 5,000
> > tonnes of water pass through every minute.
> > 5,000 tons a minute???? Wow, that is a LOT of
> > water!
> > I assume an electric powered centrifugal pump.
> > I was wondering what type of pump that would be?
> >
> > Does anyone know?
> >
> > alan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> > www.alanstepney.info
> > Model Engineering, Steam Engine, and Railway
> > technical pages.
> >
> >
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