lies valley northern edge close village approximately miles south bristol england lake created known starting construction designs completing constructed primarily bring building materials lake reservoir formed construction dam provided water pumping station originally contained compound beam pumping engines built replaced electric pumps steam engines preserved working order visitor centre includes educational facilities children pumping station grade listed building imp gal gal lake provides litres imp gal gal drinking water year acts fishing lake provides habitat range flora fauna site special scientific interest original tanks formed water supply steam boilers pumping engines trout reservoir lake originally called reservoir covers acres rises centre flows past village enters lake river flows south series banks route takes northern outskirts roughly parallel road past site roman villa crossing motorway downstream west village watershed area reservoir hectares acres construction reservoir approved acts parliament plan provide drinking water bristol line works pipe carries water construction required provision local villages avoid contamination reservoir work designed conjunction construction work established connecting main bristol exeter line addition carrying construction materials reservoir pumping station provided passenger services later railway bring coal pumps passenger traffic ceased line closed completely lake relatively shallow average depth deepest point near dam west end lake eastern end enters hard water area high mineral content vulnerable summer cause water layers result research programme established observe measure lake contains litres imp gal gal supplies litres imp gal gal water year water taken larger neighbour balance supply dam dam extends ground solid rock underlying valley built clay central concrete core faced granite lake inch diameter pipe dam leads pumping station larger remove collecting dam flow water maintained compensation channel overflow flood water downstream pumping station includes science environment exhibits hands displays room dedicated charity steam driven beam engines working occasionally outside space nature trail lake opened compound beam pumping engines housed separate buildings built engine beam long weighs tons diameter weighs tons having throw beam engine output horsepower rpm high pressure cylinders inches diameter stroke supplied steam horizontal lancashire type twin boilers green pounds square inch bar low pressure cylinder inches diameter stroke engines fourth standby pump water rate million imperial gallons day whilst boilers consumed tons coal day mechanical efficiency claimed inch diameter pump bucket strike diameter inches gave pump output imperial gallons stroke ran engines north engine house replaced electric pumps automatic equipment installed prevent damage event burst main new electric pumps meant longer essential staff site hours day decorative chimney shortened 1960s new split case vertical pumps new equipment installed replace installed 1940s 1950s decided preserve remaining engines incorporate central feature including museum old boiler house opened attracts visitors year driven electric motor pumping station grade listed building gothic style meter house grade listed bat sanctuary fishing lake known trout fishing banks fleet rowing boats hire tanks originally supplied water steam boilers pumping engines pools fish transferred lake average trout year stock surrounding lakes ecology designated site special scientific interest hectares acres created largely variety species habitats area pumping station laid ornamental woodland includes scots pine cedar spruce oak beech chestnut willow lime holly maple variety including green winged southern marsh seen borders lake variety water birds seen lake including great little mute swan canada duck common seen surrounding hills breed occasional visitors include hobby great spotted major seen wood western end lake populations deer
Blagdon Lake