Bedford Pumps are bang on schedule to complete their contract to supply eight new pumps for the Environment Agency as part of the Crossens Pumping Station refurbishment project. This is the second time that Crossens P.S has benefited from Bedford Pumps expertise, having been the recipients of pumpsets from the company over twenty years ago.
Bedford Pumps have been contracted to replace all of the diesel engine driven pumps, as well as the 1950’s modified pumps, with electric submersible pumps. These consist of two submersible bowl pump sets, each operating at a duty of 1,190 l/s at 9m head, and six submersible axial pumps from their Fish Friendly range, each delivering 3,045 l/s at 4m head. The project also includes the installation of a standby generator to increase the resilience of the station.
The first two SAF Fish Friendly pumps have been installed and commissioned and are performing perfectly. The second pair will be installed in a matter of weeks and the full contract is due for completion by the end of the Summer.
Crossens, located in the North West of England between Southport and Blackpool, was constructed in the late 1950s and officially opened in 1961. At that time thirteen diesel engine driven pumps were utilised to pump three watercourses entering the station.
In the 1980’s, nine of the diesel engines were removed and replaced by electric pumps, although four of the original diesel pumps were retained for back up in the event of power failure. In the early 1990’s, due to the gravity bypass facility at Crossens being eroded by silt over the passage of time, three further electric pumps were installed by Bedford Pumps to supplement the existing capability. This took the total pumping capacity at the station to 28.4 cumecs.
Now the four diesel engines that were previously retained have finally reached the end of their life. In addition four of the pumps that were modified by motors (but dated back to the original construction of the site) also need replacing. The Environment Agency has therefore developed a refurbishment project at a cost of almost £5M to overhaul the entire station.
The catchment area is prime eel habitat but the Fish Friendly pumps will ensure that that station is fully compliant with the Eel Regulations of 2007 and the pumping station will no longer be a barrier to eel migration. In fact at over 20 cumecs the station will have the largest eel friendly output in Europe. Furthermore the eight pumps from Bedford Pumps will be interchangeable with other Environment Agency stations in the North West greatly improving station resilience and control.
Bedford Pumps were delighted to work once again in partnership with the Environment Agency and their framework contractors in order to protect 660 properties from the risk of flooding, as well as 11 km2 of grade 1 agriculture land
