Inside the water tower - the reconstructed steam pump

Inside the water tower, you can still feel the moisture and see the coal stains that were typical at this site when the train was was in operation.

You can see a reconstructed model of a steam pump. The purpose of the original pump was to draw water from the nearby well into the tank on top of the tower so that when the train reached the station, the engine could be filled with water.  

How did the system work?

To your right is a large water tank. Coal was burned in the lower part of the tank in order to heat the water in the upper part. The steam that was created entered the pipe at the top of the tank. Due to the pipe’s relatively small diameter, the steam created pressure. The pressure moved the pistons in the pump, creating suction that drew the water from the well to the top of the tower through the black pipe. Notice the second black pipe. To transfer water to the steam engine, the faucet on the pipe was turned on in order to let the water flow through. The high pressure forced the water from the top of the tower to the bottom of the tower and to the other side, where, with the help of the the water crane that stood next to the tracks, the water flowed straight into the engine’s tank. The large black pipes that you see in the small space are the original pipes. The water crane did not survive, but you can see it in the photos.

Why was it necessary to collect the water into the tank on the top of the tower? Because the pumping process took hours. While the steam technology was considered very sophisticated in those days, it was still relatively slow and the engine was in a hurry to leave…

You’re welcome to walk to the next building, the Bombaji House.