Claverton Pumping Station

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The Dam Thing

For those who do not know the layout of Claverton Pumping Station a description will be necessary. The Pumping Station gets its power from a large water wheel fed with water from the River Avon above Warleigh Weir, flowing along a leat (man made cut) under a bridge and into the mill pond next to the Pumping Station. Water from the pond enters the wheel house through a grill of steel bars which prevent floating debris entering and damaging the waterwheel. Starting, stopping and control of the water wheel speed is carried out by an adjustable weir which is as wide as the waterwheel “almost 25 feet” (metric is not the preferred system at Claverton). When the weir is raised to its full height water cannot pass onto the wheel. Lowering the weir allows water to pass onto the wheel causing rotation.

The weir is built in two sections each 12 feet long and is constructed from heavy wooden sections, curved to reflect the radius of the water wheel attached to a similarly curved copper sheet which limits the loss of water though leakage when the wheel is running. This is what we call the curved or depressing sluice because it is lowered not raised to rotate the wheel.

Now I hope you get the picture I can now tell you why we need the Dam Thing, the copper sheet covering one half of the wheel came loose exposing a very rotten timber structure normally under water. One half of the weir or sluice requires a complete rebuild before pump can be run again. The mill pond as well as feeding the waterwheel has to be kept full to provide water for the canal above and eventually the Devizes Flight through the back pumping scheme by use of electric submersible pumps. To make a repair practical we had to make a dam across the mill pond at its narrowest point. A design was produced by our engineer for a steel structure which was fabricated locally then installed by the Claverton team over three very cold days in March. 

The state of decay discovered in the half of the sluice currently being worked on gives concern for the state of the other half, it has been decided that it will also need replacing but we may be able to put it off until next year when the dam will be installed again. So the Dam Thing will continue to be a valuable asset for many years to come.
Finally we wish to thank the volunteers who come to Claverton rain or shine throughout the year who have worked up to their knees and some time beyond in mud water and cups of tea! They have once again shown by their work on The Dam Thing what an ingenious and resourceful lot they are. 

Neville Levitt

How to build a dam

Step 1. Drain the pond and set up the pump

Step 2. Use the pump to wash the mud out from the dam site

Step 3. The dam arrives in kit form

Step 4. The heavy parts have to be lowered into place in front of the wheel

Step 5. The parts are carefully assembled on a bed of mortar

Step 6. Everything together, last checks are made (including whether it is time for a tea break!)

Step 7. Cover the front with plastic, cross fingers and re-fill the millpond.