Cobbs Engine House

Cobb’s Engine House, also known as Windmill End Pumping Station, is a historic industrial building located within Warren’s Hall Local Nature Reserve on the edge of Sandwell and Dudley. Built around 1831, it was constructed to house a large steam engine that pumped water out of local coal mines and into the Dudley No. 2 Canal.

The pumping engine was vital to keep the mines dry enough to operate. The shaft from which water was removed reached depths of over 500 feet, and the engine could pump around 1.6 million litres of water every day. This was typical of the Black Country’s reliance on heavy industry and canal transport during the 19th century.

The building itself is now a scheduled ancient monument and Grade II listed. Although the roof and internal floors have long since disappeared, the solid brick walls and the distinctive 95-foot chimney are still standing. The chimney is particularly striking, tapering as it rises and remaining visible from across the surrounding area.

The engine worked until 1928, making it the last colliery pumping engine in the area to be operational. In the early 1930s, the engine was removed and sold to Henry Ford, who took it to his museum in Michigan, USA, where it remains on display as an example of early steam engineering.

Today, visitors can explore the shell of Cobb’s Engine House while walking or cycling along the towpaths that pass through Warren’s Hall and Bumble Hole nature reserves. Information boards explain the site’s history, and the structure stands as a reminder of how the Black Country’s industrial landscape once functioned. It is now part of a peaceful green space where nature has reclaimed much of the area, blending industrial heritage with wildlife and recreation.

Created: 29  June  2025  Edited: 29  June  2025