Hydraulic ram pump

One of the first projects I embarked on was building a hydraulic ram pump. I had a CAT manual and the help of Boron and his workshop. Looking for something in the attic this evening, I came across this 1995 picture of Borin and pump in the garage at Auchendinny Mains.

The pump worked well enough once I got the correct spring manufactured in Glasgow. The major design flaw was the use of threaded rod for the valve stem. It regularly got jammed and needed to be reset.

All the supporting dams, pipes and reservoirs were dismantled years ago. The pump itself sits forlornly by the burn. We now have water flowing downhill and only use the electric pump during the dry season. But I still have a soft spot for the delightful sound of a hydraulic ram pump in the woods.