Idea #593 – Watching the steam pumping plant of D.F. Wouda in the polders of Frieze
The steam pumping station of D.F. Wouda, in Dutch: Ir. D.F. Woudagemaal, is the most important steam pumping station always in service in the world. The station stays in Tacozijl, near Lemmer, and was used to lower the water level in Frieze, in support of the installation of the J.L. Hooglandgemaal situated to Stavoren. The pumping station owes its name to the ir. D.F. Wouda, engineer responsible for the Provincial Institute of the Water in Frieze, which had worked on the project in association with the ir. Dijxhoorn. Four steam engines and eight pump juice extractors were built by the Inc. Machinefabriek Jaffa in Utrecht.
The pumping station was inaugurated on October 7th, 1920 by Queen Wilhelmine. In 1955, six original production units of vapor were replaced by four news. The pumping station Wouda was completely active until 1966 for the draining of the Frieze. The pumping station of J.L. Hoogland entered in service the same year, and the pumping station in the vapor of D.F. Wouda was used then untill now, on only in a episodic way. The pumping station in the vapor of D.F. Wouda is registered on the UNESCO world heritage list since 1998.
Some Pictures
Where is it ?
D.F. Woudagemaal, Lemmer, Netherlands