Stoomgemaal Winschoten, gebouw en museum in Winschoten, Groningen
The Stoomgemaal Winschoten is a protected pump station with thick brick walls built in 1895 just north of town. Inside you find a large steam engine connected to a rare screw pump, along with pipes, wheels, and metal parts that made up the water control system for the Oldambt region.
Two windmills operated here from 1803 until lightning and a storm destroyed them in 1871, after which a steam engine took over. The building was enlarged in 1895, received an electric motor in 1929, and continued working until 1971 when it was preserved as a museum.
The pump station sits in a farming region where water control has always shaped how people live and work the land. The building reflects how essential this kind of engineering was to protect communities from floods and keep the countryside safe.
The museum is located at Oostereinde 4 in Winschoten and is easy to reach, with a large red coal storage barn next to the main building. Check the website before visiting since opening days vary and the volunteer staff sometimes focuses on maintenance of the machinery.
The Stoomgemaal Winschoten is the only known example in the world of a steam engine coupled to a screw pump system. This unusual pairing makes it a special place for anyone interested in rare engineering solutions from the industrial past.
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