What improved?
Instead of throwing steam away after one cylinder, this engine lets it expand through three. Larger cylinders accommodate the expanding steam.
THE ENGINE ROOM / 06
Small parts. Big discoveries.
A little steam. A clever machine. Let’s see what makes it move.
ON THE WORKBENCHHathorn Davey inspired · Three cylinders1910 · The later steam age
Explore the steam history timeline
3D MODEL
Give the same steam three jobs.Inspired by the 1910 Newmarket engine; pumps and tank are teaching reconstructions.
Drag to turn · Scroll or pinch to zoom · Right-drag or two-finger drag to panTap a part to discover it
Ready when you are
FROM THE HISTORICAL RECORD · 1910 · The later steam age
THE ENGINE’S STORYThree stages, one town supply
Why give steam only one job? This engine lets it push in three cylinders, one after another. Each cylinder is bigger because the steam spreads out as its pressure falls. The real 1910 engine pumped water for Newmarket. Our model adds a town tank so you can balance supply and demand.
Original, replica or teaching model?
Read the source The cylinder sizes follow the preserved example. The original pumps are no longer fitted at the museum; our pumps and tank are teaching reconstructions.
Water for a growing town
The 1910 Hathorn Davey engine served Newmarket. Pumping engines helped towns maintain water supplies for homes and businesses.
A preserved example
The museum engine has cylinder diameters of 12, 20 and 31 inches. Its original pumps are no longer fitted; our small pumps and tank explain their job rather than reconstructing them exactly.
In the archive
Select a photograph to look closer. Captions distinguish originals, replicas and related examples.
The triple-expansion engine at Kew Bridge, photographed in 1984.
Chris Allen · CC BY-SA 2.0Archive record ↗
YOUR NEXT DISCOVERY
Look closer. Have a go. Find out.Think like an engineer.
THE ENGINEER’S CHALLENGE
CHIEF ENGINEERKeep the town supplied
- 1. Learn the job
- 2. Put it in order
- 3. Take the controls
People in a town need water throughout the day. Your steam engine drives water pumps. Keep enough in the tank for the next busy period.
Your goal
Complete four rounds with the tank between 35 and 75.
First, discover how the engine works by choosing the steps in order. Then adjust three controls for each round. You can try again, ask for help, or restart at any time.