Geograph - photograph every grid square

Crossness Pumping station - restored beam engine

This is Prince Consort. Built in 1865 as a single cylinder and from 1899 converted to triple expansion rating. It is running and the parallel motion is blurred due to that. The smaller cylinder on the right is the intermediate pressure with the high pressure below it in the basement. The low pressure is on the left. The HP/IP piston rod is guided by a form of parallel motion known as a Z-linkage. The LP crosshead drives an auxiliary beam (to the left) that has a grasshopper motion and radius rods to keep it parallel. The auxiliary beam drives the air pump , feed pump and circulationg pump.

The engine was originally lagged with planished (blued) steel but that was too far gone. The modern aluminised lagging is an acquired taste.