British Transport Films presents the dramatic story of the outstanding engineering feat of Thomas Andrew Walker in the 19th century which enabled the building of the famous Severn Tunnel, the longest underwater tunnel in the world to be completed at that time. The film is in particular a tribute in sight and sound of the unique group of six magnificent Cornish beam engines which kept the tunnel free of water for over seventy years before being replaced by electric pumps.

Nice find.
We tend to forget how much was accomplished in the 18th and 19th centuries.


Wheels

Pretty cool doc.

Thanks for sharing that link, I've been through the tunnel once about 20 years ago ... glad the pumps kept on pumpin!

That was great. I am fascinated by engineering of the 19th century. All of this was done with no computers or any sort of electronic aid. The survey work alone was a fantastic achievement.

All the beam engines were scrapped sadly, though the beam arm of one of the larger ones still survives. The actual pump house remains intact though. If you look on google earth you can see the village illustrated in the video. Still has the branch line running through the center of it that used to bring the coal in to keep the engines running.

Worth checking the rest of the BTC films, not least 'Wires over the Border', on the electrification of the WCML circa 1974.

List of British Transport Film,
http://www.britishtransportfilms.co.uk/