Waterpumping station “Ir Wouda” Lemmer Friesland

Waterpumping station “Ir Wouda” Lemmer Friesland

Officially opened: 1920

Engines and pumps are built by Jaffa Utrecht

Just outside the Frisian city Lemmer is the ancient pumping station ir D.F. Wouda. Since 1920 this pumping station helps the Frisians to keep their feet dry in rainy periods.
Although several more modern pumping stations have taken over the duty of the old steam driven pumping station , several times each year this pumping station is started up to assist in milling dry the Frisian county. The modern stations have than insufficient capacity.
The pumping station was officially opened by HRH Queen Wilhelmina on October 7th 1920.
Originally steam was produced by coalfired boilers, but in 1967 these were replaced by oilfired boilers..
The 8 large centrifugal pumps have a huge capacity and are driven by tandem compound steam engines. The total capacity is 4 million liters per minute (0.9 million Uk gallons/min) It takes 6 hours to prepare the station from cold start to operational.
In the summer season it is possible to visit the station (except on Monday).
This pumping station, still in its original state is placed by Unesco on the list of World Heritage projects.
The station is also called the “Cathedral of steam”.

A visit to the Wouda pumping station is highly recommended!

I have visited the station in Spring 2003 and was completely astonished by its beauty. It is still in the original state as during the official opening by HTH Queen Wilhelmina in 1920: from the walls covered with tiles till the completely wooden office of the chief engineer, it is all there. Freelancers are working with love and technical experience in the station: from time to time it is reality, hard pumping work.

For opening times and detailed information see the website, www.woudagemaal.nl
On this photograph is clearly visible the love for detail: the brass cans with lubricating oil are still the original ones. On the background you can see the lubricating points of the engines.
 
On this picture the oilfired boilers (1967) producing the required steam.
 

 

This is the large tandem-compound engine. Via the large crankshaft is driven the hughe flywheel. At each side of the flywheel are the centrifugal pumps.
Above the pumps is just visible the large hoisting unit for maintenance purposes.