Walsall Power Station Water Supply

Those who follow the industry along the banks of the BCN, mat recall Walsall
Power Station at Birchills.

Whilst looking for data on Bankfield, I came across an article in the
Electrical Review (December 29th 1922) that described the inaguration of new
plant at Walsall Corporations Birchills Power Station (initially opened
10/1916). The extensions were inagurated 15th December 1922.

This extendions in included new turbo alternators, but more importantly a a
new and sophisticated improvement to the water supply. The accompanying plan
is most instructive. It shows that Seneyd Reservoir was included in the
supply. Sneyd provided water to the Wyrly & Essington Canal and there was a
culvert and brook that drew water from the Wolverhampton Level (473ft od) as
an overflow for the reservoir. This culvert had been adapted to feed into
the Ansons Branch. There was also an old pumping engine shaft, the Victory
Mine, that also drew water from the Bentley Colliery and this contributed
cold mine watert to the water system drawing 150,000 gallons an hour.

Birchills Power Station operated the Ansons Pumping Station, which was on
the Anson Branch (Walsall Level 406ft od) and pumped water back up to the
cooling towers at Birchills in a pipe line that passed through Reedswood
Park.

Ansons Pumping station came to have an important role in the recirculation
of water between the Walsall and Wolverhampton Levels. Two Mather & Platt
electric pumps provided the neccessary pumping power to raise water back to
the Wolverhampton Level.

The arrangement allowed warm water to flow back via the canal system to the
Wolverhampton or Walsall. The new pumps rendered the existing BCN steam
pumping plant at Birchills obsolete and these were closed down during 1923.

One wonders what is now left of this arrangement?

Ray Shill
01.10.2007