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History and Attractions
 Tees Cottage Pumping Station is a Victorian waterworks in Darlington in the North East of England which began supplying water to Darlington in 1849. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument with two completely original pumping engines in full working order. These are displayed running under their pumping load on about four weekends each year. One engine is a two-cylinder compound steam beam engine, still supplied from its original Lancashire boilers and driving its original pumps. The other engine is a two-cylinder gas engine, the largest preserved example in Europe, also driving its original pumps.
The engines are housed in their own purpose built buildings, dating from 1847 to 1901, in themselves superb examples of Victorian architecture. The engines and buildings are carefully maintained, preserved and run by volunteers, supported by the site owner, Northumbrian Water.
Also at Tees Cottage we have a Blacksmith's Shop and Cleveland Association of Model Engineers run model train rides for a small additional charge.
Photograph of Beam Engine controls and valve chest. |
The Boilers
 | There are two Lancashire boilers, dating from 1902. We currently only use one boiler to make steam to power the Beam Engine.
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The Beam Engine
 | This Beam Engine began running in 1904 to replace the earlier smaller beam engines. It pumps water from the River Tees into settling tanks and from there to our fountain, which represents the supply to the town.
Shown here is the beam floor. |
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The Gas Engine
 | | As technology improved, gas replaced steam powered engines. This gas powered internal combustion engine was designed and built by Richard Hornsby. From 1914, like the earlier beam engines, it pumped water from the Tees to settling tanks and then to the town. Gas was originally provided by a Gas Producer Plant, which is still on view. |
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The Electric Pumps
 | | In 1926, Electric pumps came into use at Tees Cottage and the Beam and Gas Engines were put on standby until the 1970s. The Electric pumphouse is not currently open to the public. |
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The Blacksmith's Shop
 | | The Blacksmith's Shop was probably used on site originally for making repairs. Working demonstrations are given on most Open Weekends. |
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