Wijdenes Spanish Pumping Station, Small Lock

The Wijdenes Spaans pumping station on the Van Ewijcksvaart canal is a national monument, but it is also still the main pumping station within the Anna Paulowna polder. Since 1874, it has been draining both parts of this polder, the Westpolder and the Oostpolder. 

The Anna Paulowna polder, which was drained in 1845-1846, consists of two parts, the East and West polders. They are separated by the Oude Veer, a former sea creek that had also been the main drainage channel from Zijpe to the sea since the 16th century. After the embankment was built, the southern part – the Hoge Oude Veer – served as a reservoir for the Zijpe and the northern part – the Lage Oude Veer – as a reservoir for the Oostpolder. Parallel to the Lage Oude Veer, the Ewijcksvaart was dug as a waterway and drainage canal for the Zijpe water.

For the first few decades, the Anna Paulowna Polder was drained by a steam pumping station at the Van Ewijcksluis and six windmills, but drainage often proved difficult. During heavy rainfall and low winds, the windmills and pumping station were unable to cope, and the Westpolder in particular suffered from flooding. In October 1872, yet another 'rain flood' prompted the decision to build a second steam pumping station in the Westpolder. This new pumping station was called Pumping Station II, to distinguish it from the pumping station at the Van Ewijcksluis, which was then renamed Pumping Station I. Pumping Station II was also able to drain the Oostpolder via a culvert under the Van Ewijcksvaart.

Pumping station II was built by local contractor Pieter Wilms (1827-1899), who employed an eclectic yet simple and functional style. It was constructed in brick. The building has one floor at the front and two at the rear, in the much lower Westpolder. The two steam engines with a capacity of 70 hp were supplied by the Amsterdam machine factory De Atlas. The pumping station was put into operation in September 1874. The new pumping station had three steam boilers—one of which was a spare—and two screw pumps and could pump 98 cubic metre per minute. There were some teething problems, but by 1881 it was decided that one of the windmills could be decommissioned. 

Around 1900, the board considered completely replacing the steam engines, but ultimately decided to switch to the new technology of the suction gas engine. In 1911, it was predicted that the steam boilers of pumping station II would be rejected. In addition, coal consumption was high and the screws were outdated. The steam engines were therefore replaced in 1911-1912 by two suction gas engines, supplied by the English machine factory Crossley Motors in Manchester, with a capacity of 120 hp, coupled to a centrifugal pump that could pump 110 cubic metre . 

At the end of 1927, the pumping station was expanded with a 160 hp electric motor that drove a screw pump. The pump came from the Utrecht machine factory Hoogenlande, formerly Pannevis, which manufactured many pumping station pumps. The motor came from the electrical engineering company Smit in Slikkerveer. In 1933, the suction gas engines were replaced by a 100 hp electric motor, also supplied by Smit. This electric motor was connected to the existing centrifugal pump. From then on, the polder drainage system was entirely electric. 

On September 22, 1942, the board of the Anna Paulowna polder decided to rename the pumping stations after distinguished figures from the history of the polder. Pumping Station II was named after Cornelis Wijdenes Spaans (1869-1943) because, as dike reeve, he had played a leading role in the electrification of the drainage system. Wijdenes Spaans had been mayor of the municipality of Anna Paulowna since 1907 and stood out for his leadership during the flood disaster of 1916, when most of the polder was under water. He also became dike reeve of the polder in 1916 and remained in office until 1939.

For many years, the pumping stations in the Anna Paulowna polder functioned adequately, but between 1988 and 1994, water management was significantly improved by the installation of two new pumping stations. The Wijdenes Spaans pumping station became a provincial monument in 1984 and was also designated a national monument in 1999. By then, the Anna Paulowna polder belonged to the Hollands Kroon Water Board, which was considering building a modern pumping station on this site and attempted to have the pumping station removed from the national monument list in 2000. However, the municipality of Anna Paulowna prevented this. 

In 2003, the Hollands Kroon Water Board merged to form the current Hollands Noorderkwartier Water Board. Between 2009 and 2011, the latter had the pumping station completely renovated and refurbished internally, while respecting its monumental character. The building's exterior is largely in its original condition, although the front and side facades are now whitewashed. The windows still feature the original cast iron frames and decorations. The Wijdenes Spaans pumping station still plays an important role in draining the West and East polders: the two screw pumps installed in 2011 can pump out 340 cubic metre minute.

Extra

• In this video, area manager Peter Ottervanger talks about the completely renovated Wijdenes Spaans pumping station (2:49 minutes).
• The Wijdenes Spaans pumping station is located on the Den Helder - Julianadorp - Anna Paulowna - Van Ewijcksluis - Den Helder(Fietsknoop) cycle route, among others.
• Those walking the Old Ferry Route will need to make a small detour before reaching the pumping station (North Holland Walking Network).