Nederland - De Cruquius

In the low-lying peat lands in the area between Amsterdam, Haarlem and Leiden peat was won for many centuries. Peat lakes were created, which expanded into larger lakes as a result of storms. Three lakes merged into one, forming the largest inland lake of the Netherlands: the Haarlemmermeer (Lake Haarlem). Local people called it the Waterwolf, because it swallowed more and more land and wiped complete villages of the map.

In 1837 King Willem I installed a commission to make a study for drainage. He could use such a prestige project to compensate for the humiliation regarding the separation of Belgium from the Netherlands. So he opted for the use of steam power for draining the Haarlemmermeer.

Together with two identical steam-pumping machines De Cruquius, commissioned in 1849, pumped Lake Haarlem dry in three years and three months. The engine could drain up to 320.000 litres of water per minute !! The pumping station is a unique example of neo-Gothic architecture with its havy buttresses, pointe – arched windows, battlements; much use is made of cast iron ornamentation (PiPs1 and 2)

Both other pumping stations were modernized after 50 years, but De Cruquius remained untouched. It was decommissioned in 1932 and became a museum, which opened four years later. It became one of the first technical museums in the world and houses the worlds’ largest steam engine. Apart from the history of the pumping station, attention is also paid to the continuous struggle of the Netherlands against the water.

But most impressive for me was without any doubt the visit to the engine room (PiPs 3 and 4), especially with a demonstration of a working engine; even if the huge cylinder is nowadays moved up and down by means of a modern hydraulic system.