Pumping engines of this vintage used a vertical pump rod, with a bucket pump at the bottom of the shaft.

It contained a steam-powered beam engine, which was probably made by Davy Brothers of Sheffield, and drove a double-acting bucket pump.

The engines were single-acting, the power stroke being downwards at the power cylinder, and the pump being a simple upward-acting bucket pump.

The Newtown Pumphouse raised water from the River Severn to the canal, initially using an undershot water wheel to operate two bucket pumps.