Description: Papplewick Pumping Station is one Britain's finest examples of Victorian Water Works and the only one in the Midlands to be preserved as a complete working water pumping station. Papplewick was built in a typically victorian grand style between 1881-5 to supplement the water supply for the growing city of Nottingham utilising water trapped underground in the natural aquafer of Bunter sandstone. It was another of the marvellous civic engineering projects by the Corporation engineer Ogle Tarbotton (who was also responsible for the re-building of Trent Bridge). Its grounds were landscaped (its lake contains many friendly carp!) and the interiors constructed with cathedral-like columns and fantastic iron animalistic details. In the main building there are two massive beam pumping engines, thought to be the last built by the famous firm of James Watt & Co. of Soho Works, Birmingham and London. These two 140hp. Engines lifted water from the 200 foot deep well, dug into the sandstone subground and pumped the water into the reservoir that supplied Nottingham. These beams engines worked for 85 years and ceased regular operation in 1969, when electric pumps were fitted in the pilot well near the main gate. These automatic electric pumps saved the manpower required to stoke three of the 6 Lancashire boilers that feed steam to the two beam engines. After the preservation group took over the upkeep of the station, Papplewick was opened in 1976, to allow the public to view this fine water works, along with a growing number of other steam powered engines that have come from other local sites. These include the Linby Colliery Winding Engine and the Stanton Triple Expansion Engine. Other Waterworks in the Nottinghamshire area only survive as preserved buildings without any of the original steam powered pumping equipment, such as the Gothic style Bestwood Pumping Station close-by. (In 2004 with money from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the rebuilding of the Papplewick buildings and site, work has started to take place, so public access is limited. Please consult the Papplewick Pumping Station web-site for opening times).