Langford Waterworks

The Southend Waterworks Company began construction of its Langford works in 1924 and by 1927 the works was pumping water from the River Chelmer. The Lilleshall Company Limited supplied three similar steam driven vertical triple expansion rotative pumping engines, each with a maximum pumping capacity of 4.4 million gallons per day. The engines were worked in pairs with a combined maximum pumping rate of 8 million gallons per day. Steam pumping was replaced by electricity in 1963 and two of the engines were scrapped. The third engine has subsequently been restored and forms a centrepiece to the Museum of Power that has been established in the old waterworks buildings.