Real Steam in Belgium, 2009

Kevin Hoggett wrote to me while I was away in Burma, I have passed the information to people in the UK who may be able to do something to help:

"I received a phone call from a local ship repair company in Zeebrugge today asking if I was interested in a steam pump. I went to have a look, this is what I found in the harbour where I have worked for 30 years! The place in question is The Total bunkering station on the old Mole. There are two large (one larger than the other) Worthington pumps used to pump bunker oil for ships. Both are fed from a modern light fuel boiler and are controlled from a computer. A signal to an electric steam valve controls steam flow to the pumps! The larger of the two pumps is to be broken out on Friday 6th February to make way for a diesel pump. The people doing the job, Flanders Ship Repair, are willing to remove it carefully if anyone wants to preserve it - they are just asking scrap price, about 300 Eeuros. If you know anyone who may be interested, please let me know urgently, A word is enough to stop destruction. The smaller pump is to remain for about another year, and will then be available also. The large pump is about 10 feet long and is said to have a pumping capacity of 300 cubic meters per hour.