Pumping Stations, 



109 



The lower end of the frame is hinged to the floor; thus, when the 

 breast is raised the floor is also raised for some distance, forming an 

 inclined plane from the top of the movable breast to the floor of the 

 outlet channel. The breast is raised or lowered to adapt it to the 

 height of the water in the outlet drain by a segmental toothed rack 

 gearing into a spur wheel attached to a windlass fixed on the wall of 

 the raceway. By raising this breast to a sufficient height to allow of 

 a free egress of the water over it, the back current at the bottom of 

 the outlet, which always exists with the old arrangement, is entirely 

 avoided. These improvements to the wheel have been carried out 

 under the direction of Mr. Alfred Harrison, the superintendent of the 

 Deeping Fen drainage district. 



During the five years, 1876-80, the average work of the two 

 engines amounted to 219^- days of twenty-four hours each for one 

 engine, and the consumption of coal averaged 5 tons 9 cwt. per day 

 These engines have lately been thoroughly overhauled by Messrs 

 Watt & Co., and new boilers provided, the working pressure of the 

 steam being raised to 20 lb. on the inch. The coal consumption has 

 been reduced to 3*28 tons per day, the amount of work done by the 

 engines being at the same time very largely increased. It was 

 reported that, owing to these improvements, 60 per cent, more water 

 was raised with 42 per cent, less fuel. The annual saving was 

 estimated at 450/. in wet seasons. 



The average annual cost of this pumping station for the three 

 years 1880-83, when the rainfall was considerably above the aver- 

 age, was 141 2/., of which 1009/. was for coal, which cost about 

 15^. a ton. The average quantity consumed during the three 

 years was 1356 tons per year. Taking the area drained as 32,000 

 acres, this gives 23*61 acres for each ton of coal. The cost per acre 

 is 10 '58^., or taking coal only, 7*56^, Taking the average Hft 

 at 5 feet, this gives i*$id, per acre per foot of lift for coal only. 

 The following is the time the engines worked during the above 

 period : — 





80-H.P. 



Engine. 



60-H.P. 



Engine. 



Coals 

 consumed. 



Rainfall. 



1880-81 



1881-82 



1882-83 .. ., .. 



hours 

 5112 

 2616 

 2664 



hours 

 3912 

 1680 

 3756 



tons 

 2104 



718 

 1317 



inches 



37-12 

 26 12 

 32-87 



