TG3802 : Hardley Windpump
taken 14 years ago, near to Hardley Street, Norfolk, England
Hardley windmill is a drainage windpump operating as a museum beside the River Yare. Once part of a pumping complex, there was another mill not too far away, along with a steam pumping station. Oddly the windmill replaced the steam engine. The windpump powered by an Appold turbine Link capable of rising 12 tons of water per minute via a 12 ft high vertical shaft of 5 ft in diameter Link. Built in 1874 for Sir Thomas Proctor Beauchamp (owner of Langley Hall) Link by the Ludham millwright Dan England. During construction a lean developed. The brickwork angle changed near the top to compensate for this. It operated until about 1950 when it was tailwinded* abandoned and replaced by an electrical drainage pump.
It is now open at weekends with a visitor centre. Link.
*When a mill is tailwinded it means that a sudden and violent change of wind direction has blown the sails off. The fantail can only take the sails in one direction.