Golden Pipeline

The receiving tank into which water was delivered from the previous pump station acted as a suction tank too. Pumps would draw from the receiving tank to send the water further on its way to its destination.

As you travel the pipeline you will see some of the original tanks and may even become an expert at spotting differences and finding the answers. As an example, which was the only steam pumping station to have a round receiving tank?

Unlike most, No 1 does not have a concrete holding tank alongside it for receiving the water. Well, it does, but that was built for an entirely different purpose – to deaerate the water. Instead, No 1 drew water from the dam although not directly because that would have submitted the engines to too great a head of pressure. Instead water from the dam went into a standpipe, since demolished, from which No 1’s engines drew.

No 2 had a layout slightly different to the arrangement at other stations i.e. the receiving come suction tank was not built directly alongside the pumping station building. Why was this so?

And the site for No 3 was arguably chosen because a suitable ‘receiving tank’ already existed. What was this that No 3 did not need a concrete-line reservoir like other pumping stations?