No ordinary pumping station! Sandfields site celebrates prestigious engineering award
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) has honoured Sandfields Pumping Station in Lichfield with its Heritage Engineering Award, recognising the site’s pivotal role in advancing public health and mechanical innovation during Britain’s industrial era.
The award was presented on October 18, at a special ceremony attended by more than 70 guests, including local dignitaries and engineering enthusiasts. Distinguished attendees included Dave Robertson MP, The Mayor of Lichfield Councillor Claire Pinder-Smith, The Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire Jeremy Cotton, and The Sheriff of Lichfield Reverend Ian Hayter.
Following introductory talks from David Dimeloe and Phil Bowers - Trustees of Lichfield Waterworks Trust, Matt Garside, President of the IMechE spoke passionately about the role of the IMechE and its primary motivation of improving the world through engineering. The award itself was introduced by John Wood, Chairman of the IMechE Heritage Awards Committee, who described the historical and technical significance of Sandfields Pumping Station. The commemorative plaque was then formally unveiled by Matt Garside, President of the IMechE.
The plaque citation reads: “The Sandfields Pumping Station was the first built for the South Staffordshire Waterworks Company to provide clean water to the industrial towns of the Black Country. The Cornish beam engine, operational from 1873 to 1927, could pump up to 2 million gallons of water per day.”
Speaking at the ceremony, John Wood highlighted the remarkable engineering achievements of the site: “Sandfields Pumping Station is not just another pumping station.”
The award reflects the extraordinary feat of pumping high volumes of water 18 miles from Lichfield to the Black Country towns, along with the technical uniqueness of the engine. The Awards Committee also commended the long-term sustainability of the Trust set up to maintain and develop the engine and its site, and its inspiring outreach work to engage young people in engineering.
Following the formal ceremony guests enjoyed refreshments and a guided tour of the site led by its dedicated and knowledgeable volunteers.
The Sandfields Pumping Station represents a vital chapter in the story of public health and industrial progress in the Midlands. The original building, built by John Robinson McLean, was formally opened in 1858. Its pioneering Cornish beam engine provided clean water to communities previously ravaged by diseases such as cholera, helping to transform living conditions across the region. Walsall and Wednesbury received the first supplies of water. A year later in 1859, Darlaston received a water supply, followed by Tipton and West Bromwich in 1860. By 1869 some 20,000 houses were being supplied.
The Lichfield Waterworks Trust, which now cares for the site, continues to preserve this remarkable piece of heritage for future generations through restoration projects, guided tours, and educational programmes.
The IMechE’s Heritage Engineering Award recognises significant sites, artefacts, and achievements that have made an outstanding contribution to the development of mechanical engineering. Sandfields now joins a distinguished list of sites across the UK that celebrate the ingenuity, innovation, and legacy of Britain’s engineering excellence.
