AIM Pilgrim Trust remedial conservation – Claymills Pumping Trust

£6,800
Restoration of 1912 Pipe Drug

The subject of this grant is a Pipe Drug – a horse-drawn, timber-bodied vehicle that was built specifically for moving heavy sections of cast iron pipe into position. Although it does share some similarities with a type of vehicle used for felled timber transportation it is highly likely that the Drug was the only one of its design to be produced and is certainly the sole survivor. Built by local wheelwrights in 1912, it only ever worked between the Pumping Station and its partner farm, and so is an integral part of the museum’s story.

The condition of the Drug before work started was extremely poor, with widespread decay of the load-bearing wooden framework and oxidisation of metalwork components. One wheel had disintegrated completely, whilst the others showed advanced stages of rot. Whilst he Museum team took the decision that they would conserve as much of the structure as was possible – the majority of the metalwork, and a little of the wood – their primary mission was to return the Drug to working condition in order to aid interpretation.

Robin Hill, Museums and Heritage Consultant

We are pleased to report that the Pipe Drug is now fully restored and ready for public demonstration at our first steaming in February 2024. We have achieved all we hoped. Success was assured by careful planning at every stage, linked to flexibility as we went along, as the Pipe Drug’s condition could not be fully assessed until it was dismantled.

We applied for a grant to restore our 1914 Pipe Drug; a special-purpose cart designed to carry ½ tonne 27” cast iron pipes. The Pipe Drug is, so far as we know, unique. The Pipe Drug had been returned to Claymills in poor condition, having been outside for many years. On return we had no accommodation, but in 2021 we were able to commence a purpose-built new display and workshop space to accommodate the Pipe Drug under restoration and now for display.  The Pipe Drug is now operational again, and can be, and will on special occasions will be, used outside, but it will be stored and displayed in the new building, as a key exhibit for the long term.

John Freeman OBE, Trustee

Pictured: Horse-drawn Pipe Drug used at Claymills Pumping Station