Owston Ferry Pumping Engine Preservation Society South Street Pumping Station When the South Street Pumping Station was constructed in 1910, it was equipped with two Cornish boilers manufactured by Marshalls of Gainsborough, along with two LT class horizontal compound steam engines driving 24 inch Drysdale centrifugal pumps. These formed the station’s original pumping plant and remained in operation for several decades. By the mid 20th century, changes in drainage requirements and machinery condition led to several upgrades. In 1952 one of the Marshall steam engines was removed and replaced with a Ruston & Hornsby HRC class diesel engine. In 1963, after the Cornish boilers had deteriorated beyond economic repair, an extension was added to the south side of the building to house a Lister Blackstone EV3 engine and Sulzer pump. Further improvements followed in 1981 with the installation of an external electric pump, ensuring that the heritage machinery inside the original station remained intact . In 2007, at the request of the Isle of Axholme Internal Drainage Board, the Organisation for the Preservation of the Engines of the Pumping Station (OFPEPS) was formally constituted and granted a 50 year lease. Its aims are to preserve and interpret the historic steam and oil engines and to record the wider history of drainage across the Isle of Axholme. During the 2013 AGM, members agreed to begin work to restore steam capability to the surviving Marshall engine. Quotations for a new boiler proved beyond the organisation’s means, but a trustee subsequently donated an uncertificated boiler for restoration. All refurbishment work has since been carried out by OFPEPS volunteers, including welding new metal into corroded areas, fitting new fire tubes, and reinstating the bottom end plate. To protect the historic fabric of the pumping house, the restored boiler has been installed in an external container, with only the steam main passing into the original building. Work continues on maintaining the historic engines, pumps, and associated equipment. The careful preservation and refurbishment undertaken by volunteers ensures that the South Street Pumping Station remains an important record of the engineering and drainage heritage of the Isle of Axholme. South Street, Owsten Ferry, DN9 1RP What3words: ///stilted.impaled.honest

Regular maintenance of all watercourses is essential to ensure the free flow of water and to help prevent flooding of land and property; this includes private (riparian) watercourses for which the adjacent land or property owners are usually responsible, see Your Watercourse Rights And Responsibilities for more information. The Boards’ Byelaws prevent the erection of any building, structure (whether temporary or permanent) or planting of trees/shrubs etc within nine metres either side of a Board maintained watercourse (either open or piped) without the Board’s consent; this is to ensure that we have uninterrupted access to maintain and improve the watercourse both now and in the future. Consent is also required for any works that increase the flow of surface water or treated foul effluent into the Boards’ drainage network. Consent will also be required from the Board to undertake any work within the channel of any riparian watercourse within the Boards’ areas for example, the installation of a culvert, weir, or other like obstruction. Lindsey Marsh and Trent Valley boards also consent on behalf of the Lead Local Flood Authority (Lincolnshire County Council) in their respective extended areas (click here to see all Lincolnshire IDB extended areas ). The Boards have powers under the Land Drainage Act 1991 to take enforcement action for the removal of any obstructions which are impeding the flow of water in a Board maintained or riparian watercourse. See the Contact Us page on how to get in touch with the Boards’ Planning and Consenting Team. Planning & Consenting Documents & Forms LM BYELAWS TV BYELAWS AX BYELAWS DE BYELAWS WMC APPLICATION FORM FOR CONSENT TECHNICAL GUIDANCE NOTES PLANNING AND BYELAW POLICY BUILDINGS, STRUCTURES, PLANTING AND FENCING CULVERTS AND BRIDGES ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS STABILITY OF GARDEN FENCES CLOSE TO BOARD MAINTAINED WATERCOURSES SERVICE CROSSINGS SURFACE WATER

The Museums The Water Management Consortium supports and promotes four historic pumping station museums that illustrate the development of land drainage and water management in low-lying areas. This page provides information about each museum, located within a preserved pumping station that once played a direct role in managing water levels and protecting surrounding land: Quincey’s Pumping Station – a former drainage pumping station containing original machinery used to control local water levels. Gayton Engine – a steam-powered pumping station that demonstrates late 19th-century drainage engineering. Anderby Drainage Museum – documenting the history of drainage, pumping technology, and its importance to the fenland environment. Owston Ferry Preservation Society Museum – a preserved rural pumping station focused on the operation and maintenance of historic engines. Together, these museums provide insight into the engineering methods, technological developments, and operational challenges involved in historical water management. Anderby Drainage Museum Gayton Engine Quincey's Pumping Station