Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The ‘Old Secretariat’ government building in New Delhi.
The 'Old Secretariat'
This set is inspired by a Roman arena.
Bozdağ Film Platolari
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Wortley built the wooden backpack she used while retracing Alexandra David-Néel’s journey from a chair she found on the street in London.
How Elise Wortley Climbed Mont Blanc in 1830s Women’s Attire
26 days ago
Simplicity is key: Just a slice of bread with a sprinkling of salt and pepper is the perfect accompaniment.
The Sweet Second Life of Creole Cream Cheese
26 days ago
My rendition of frog legs, popping mushroom curry, pad prik khing with salted egg yolk, and sweet khanom thuai.
Recreating My Favorite Meal From Thailand
26 days ago
Inside London’s Gorgeously Curated ‘Art Restaurants’
26 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom Scotland Wanlockhead Wanlockhead Beam Engine
AO Edited

Wanlockhead Beam Engine

The last water-powered beam pumping engine in Britain.

Wanlockhead, Scotland

Added By
katielou106
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Wanlockhead Beam Engine   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
Wanlockhead Beam Engine   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
The back of the beam engine   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
The beam engine   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
Model of the engine in Wanlockhead Mining Museum   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Information Board at the site   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
  Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Detail of the mechanism   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Wanlockhead Beam Engine is a true industrial relic. It is the only reasonably complete water-powered beam pumping machine that remains in Britain, and the only one still standing in its original location.

Wanlockhead and Leadhills are sometimes called "God's Treasure House in Scotland" because of the rich mineral ore running beneath them. (Gold from the Leadhills Mine was used to refashion the crown of Scotland in 1540, which you can see in Edinburgh Castle.)

When the beam engine at Wanlockhead was built around 1870, it was designed and installed to pump water from the Straitsteps lead mine beneath it. The mine had originally opened in 1710 and was in commercial operation from 1793 until around 1850.

The pump is a simple but highly effective machine. The principles that enabled it to function were originally derived from attempts to create a perpetual motion machine. From a hillside water tank, water was piped into a wooden bucket on the right-hand side of the machine. The weight of the full bucket pushed it downwards, which pulled up the pump rod. When the bucket reached the bottom, it triggered a valve that caused it to empty and it would then begin to rise back up which in turn would pull the pump rod back down. Once at the top, the bucket would be refilled and the cycle would repeat.

The running costs of the beam engine were minimal, as the only "fuel" it required was the free water from the tank. The tank that provided the water no longer exists on the hillside behind the beam engine but it would have been fed by Wanlock Burn.

The beam engine was in operation for around 40 years, until 1910. Commercial mining here stopped in 1928. A working model of the engine is on display in the nearby lead mining museum. The beam engine is a special monument.

Related Tags

Industrial Engineering Mines Mining

Know Before You Go

At 467 meters above sea level, Wanlockhead is the highest village in Scotland. It can be accessed by driving through the scenic Mennock Pass. There is also a lead mining museum and miner's cottages to visit while in Wanlockhead. It is free to visitors.

Community Contributors

Added By

katielou106

Edited By

Dr Alan P Newman

  • Dr Alan P Newman

Published

June 16, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Wanlockhead Beam Engine
8 Church St
Wanlockhead, Scotland, ML12 6XF
United Kingdom
55.39917, -3.785404
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Leadhills Miners Library

Leadhills, Scotland

miles away

Hawker Hurricane Crash Site

Wanlockhead, Scotland

miles away

Lowther Hill Radar Station

Wanlockhead, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Wanlockhead

Wanlockhead

Scotland

Places 3

Nearby Places

Leadhills Miners Library

Leadhills, Scotland

miles away

Hawker Hurricane Crash Site

Wanlockhead, Scotland

miles away

Lowther Hill Radar Station

Wanlockhead, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Wanlockhead

Wanlockhead

Scotland

Places 3

Related Places

  • Aladdin Coal Tipple.

    Aladdin, Wyoming

    Aladdin Coal Tipple

    The crumbling structure is a rare surviving relic of the area's bygone mining industry.

  • Before restoration

    Elsecar, England

    Elsecar Beam Engine

    This jewel of an engine is one of Northern England's finest surviving legacies of the Industrial Revolution, even catching the eye of Henry Ford.

  • Lichterfeld-Schacksdorf, Germany

    Overburden Conveyer Bridge F60

    One of the largest vehicles ever built is now open to the public.

  • The entrance to the now defunct Hexing Coal Mine.

    Taipei, Taiwan

    Hexing Coal Mine

    A glimpse into Taiwan's coal-mining past.

  • Aerial view easterly over the mine site. The main pit is just right of center.  The freeway is Interstate-15.

    Mountain Pass, California

    Mountain Pass Mine

    The only mine for rare earth elements in the United States has been intermittently active since the 1950s.

  • Pocahontas, Virginia

    Pocahontas Exhibition Coal Mine

    A literal in-depth look at one of the United States' most cherished coal mines and the questionable working conditions of its laborers

  • The Vulcan bridge

    Vulcan, West Virginia

    Vulcan Bridge

    This rural bridge gave the government of West Virginia a red scare.

  • Östra Torp, Sweden

    Kalkugnarna

    Preserved 19th-century lime kilns sit in southern Sweden.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.