The Netherlands has always had a battle against water, because 70% of the country lies below sea-level. Excess water had to be pumped bach into the sea by means of pumping stations. In the early days, windmills were used for this purpose, later the pumping stations became steam powered end today they are powered by electricity.

The little village Halfweg lies between Amsterdam and Haarlem, and here you can see the oldest operational steam-powered pumping station in the world. It was built in 1853 and served as the pumping station fot the basin of the polder, pumping excess water from the belt canal of the Haarlemmermeer to the IJ and later from there to the North Sea Canal. This took place at the rate of 25,000 litres a second ! Such enormous capacity was needed to handle the enormous amount of water, because if just one millimetre of rain fell in the basin, which covers virtually the whole of the province of South-Holland, this created a column of water as large as a football pitch and 1,800 metres high. Fortunately, Halfweg was assisted in this task by three other steam-powered pumping stations at Gouda, Spaarndam and Katwijk.

The Halfweg steam-powered pumping station consists of a boiler house with two large Babcock and Wilcox steam boilers. One of these boilers has been dismantled and offers the opportunety of taking a good look inside a boiler. The other is still fully operational and generates steam at the rate of 3 tonnes an hour and has a water content of 7,000 litres. The steam is delivered to a 500 hp direct-current steam engine installed in the engine room.

This engine and its system drives six paddle-wheels that are 7,5 metres in diameter end 2 metres wide by means if pinions and gear-wheels, the largest of which has a diameter of 5 metres.

This 150-year old steam pumping station is restored to its former glory on about 12 days every season and here one can see how much effort it took to ensure that people did not get their feet wet in Holland as well as the technology involved in the process.


Opening Hours:
Wednesday afternoons between 1 pm and 4 pm.
Saturdays between 10 am and 4 pm.

Several pumping days during the season, to be announced.

Pumping Days (click here for the list)


Address : Haarlemmermeerstraat 4, Halfweg, telefoon : 020 - 4974396

Throughout the year, groups of more then 20 people by appointment.


Possibilities :
The museum with its operational system is also available for weddings, receptions, wedding photographs and exhibitions.


Prices :
Normal opening: Adults € 2,50 ,  65+ € 2.-  and children 6-15 years € 1,- .
On pumpingdays: Adults € 5,- ,  65+ € 4.-  and children 6-15 years € 1,- .