James Watt's NEW & IMPROVED 1811 Canal Pump - Was It Really Any Better?

The first, serious, steam engines were designed for pumping water, whether up out of mines, or into canals. At Michigan's Henry Ford Museum, you can actually see TWO, original, James Watt canal pumping engines, sitting right next to each other!
The older Watt canal pump is amazingly similar to Thomas Newcomen's engines (the oldest, surviving one is right next to it, it's a great museum). After years of building steam engines, and years of improvements and innovations, Watt was able to incorporate many of those new elements into his 1811 steam-powered canal pump.
But was it actually any better, or did it just have more bells and whistles (and a stroke counter!)?

Filmed on location.

Related videos:
James Watt's 1796 canal pump:    • The Invention That Changed Everything (Jam...  
UPDATE on the 1796 canal pump:    • Watt's 1796 Canal Pump - Was I Wrong?  

Visit the canal pumps at the Henry Ford Museum at TheHenryFord.org

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