The two Crossley engines at Dog-in-a-Doublet near Peterborough on their last day in situ, 8 February.


Above: The Crossley-Premier engines on their last day.


A PAIR of Crossley-Premier engines declared redundant from their Fenland pumping station home have been saved for preservation.
And the North Level Internal Drainage Board, owners of the two Crossleys located at Dog-in-a-Doublet Pumping Station in Cambridgeshire, will both be going to good homes.
Crossley-Premier engines Nos 114865 and 114866 were ordered from stock in 1938 from its Sandiacre works. Both are 135hp diesel and are rated at 360rpm, although they run at 325rpm maximum.


Pump attendant Dave Pridmore attends the engines for the last time.


They drive two Gwynnes of Lincoln pumps, Nos 53733 and 53734 of 1938, built to order No 26513, which will remain on site.
The pumps controlled the water level of the dykes on two outlets to the River Nene and were replaced by four electric Sulzer pumps in 1982.
Kept for back-up, but now increasingly difficult to obtain spare parts, the Crossleys were still struck up once or twice a month but were dismantled in late March in readiness for transportation, one to the Anson Engine Museum in Poynton, Cheshire and one to the Internal Fire Museum of Power in Ceredigion, Wales.


The two engines prior to dismantling for removal to the two museums.


Pump attendant Dave Pridmore, who has eight pumping stations under his control for the drainage board, told Old Glory: “I’ll be sorry to see them go, they purr and run all day long with minimum effort. They have been well looked-after throughout their life; No 2 likes too much care and attention and No 1 will run and run. I’m glad they’re going to good homes”.
North Level Internal Drainage Board has already saved an engine and some old drainage tools at its Cross Guns site, in conjunction with educational visits.

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