An Air/Water Hydraulic Accumulator Station, c.1954
Photographs taken on a site c.1954
These photos were probably used for publicity purposes, possibly to illustrate the latest accumulator level control system, that came into being around this time (replacing the mercury contact system).
The first photograph illustrates the three air back-up bottles, with individual high pressure air isolating valves and the air/water bottle (in the foreground), with the lamp box attached to the control tube, showing 12 individual lights that would light to indicate the water level in the water bottle.
The second photograph with the lamp box open, showing each individual ‘electrode probe’, that sensed the level of water in the control tube and passed an electrical signal to the control panel in the foreground. A contact pressure gauge can also be seen attached to the control tube, for sensing ‘high’ and ‘low’ system pressure.
The chart below illustrates typical operational and safety features of the systems that were in use around the late 1950s and 1960s.
The operational procedures and especially the safety features were substantially revised and improved following the development and introduction of the later electronic level control units in the 1970s.
| Level | Lamp Colour | Action on Falling Water Level | Action on Rising Water Level | Audible Alarm | Contact Pressure Gauge |
| A | Red | Shut auto stop valve, stop all pumps | On | High pressure contacts made (repeat level A actions) | |
| B | White | Pump Group 1 off-load | Off | ||
| C | White | Pump Group 2 off-load | Off | ||
| D | White | Pump Group 3 off-load | Off | ||
| E | White | Pump Group 4 off-load | Off | ||
| F | White | Pump Group 1 on-load | Off | ||
| G | White | Pump Group 2 on-load | Off | ||
| H | White | Pump Group 3 on load | Off | ||
| I | White | Pump Group 4 on-load | Off | ||
| X | White | Off | |||
| Y | Red | Shut auto stop valve | |||
| Z | Red | Shut auto stop valve (repeat) | On | Low pressure contacts made (repeat level Y and Z actions) |
Click on a photograph to enlarge an image.
Click on the hyperlink to see other Notable Orders from the 1950s.
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