Follow The Steam
The 2024 Open Season
We’re open for the 2024 season from Sunday 31st March to Sunday 29th September.
The Station will be in Steam on Easter Sunday 31st March and Easter Monday 1st April for our first steaming of the year.
We all hope for good weather during your visit and that you enjoy your time exploring the engine house. Don’t forget to buy a duck for the Duck Race and search for hidden eggs across the site with our Easter Trail.
Pre-booking is recommended but not essential.
Lots of Space for Picnics in the Grounds
Visitors are welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy overlooking the canal and railway on our open days. Please note our picnic areas are not under cover. Access to the site is via the main gate opposite the car park. No access from the lower canal entrance at Lock 60 due to ongoing works by the Canal and River Trust.
refreshments on steaming days
While you are at Crofton on a Steaming Day don’t forget to visit the pop-up refreshment tent. We will be serving tea, coffee and a variety of soft drinks as well as cakes, biscuits and other delights to keep you sustained while visiting the engines and meeting our wonderful volunteers. Open 10:30 to 16:00. All proceeds from the pop-up will be donated to Crofton, helping ensure it’s future.
Explore Crofton’s Engines
We have two engines at Crofton, these and the rest of the site are looked after by a team of dedicated volunteers and staff. They do that to preserve this amazing landmark from the past in order that you, and future generations, can see how our great, pioneering engineers tackled early developments in motive power and pumping technology. Click the buttons to learn about these brilliant engines that give us our name.
Get Involved
Crofton is powered by volunteers! Come and join our friendly team at Crofton Beam Engines, and help to show our wonderful engines and beautiful site to our visitors. We have a wide range of volunteer roles, so there is a task waiting for you whatever your background. Roles include Front of house and tour guides, Engineering, Ground work, Building Maintenance, and Visitor Services.
Winter Works Open Days 2024/25
2024/25 Winter dates to follow.
We will be pleased to welcome visitors for an opportunity to look “behind the scenes” at our winter maintenance and to speak with our knowledgeable volunteers.
Free entry to the Beam Engines, though donations to our Chimney Appeal are welcome.
Latest News
Annual Boiler Steam Test
Annual Boiler Steam Test We recently had our annual boiler safety test inspection. It is carried out by an independent boiler safety inspector. The test is to make sure our boiler meets all the safety requirements. Boiler Steam Test Part of the test is to check that the steam safety valve on the boiler is lifting…
Crofton Beam Engines Chimney Repairs
Chimney Repairs The Grade 2 listed chimney at Crofton has not required any repairs since 1996, until now. In January 2023, we experienced torrential rain followed by a period of sub-zero temperatures. As a result, expansion of ice crystals within the mortar and brick had caused damage to the chimney, pointing and brickwork. The west…
heritage open days – in person tours
Heritage Open Days – In Person Tours Sunday 17th September 2023 Non-Steaming Event. free Entry. Join a guided tour on Sunday 17th September to discover more about the industrial past of Crofton’s corner of Wiltshire for FREE! Built between 1807 and 1809, the Pumping Station supplied water to the highest point of the Kennet &…
Visit by narrowboat
and stop by on the
Kennet & Avon Canal
A Word from our Patron Phil Harding
“I’ve known Crofton all my life and still enjoy visiting this special place. Crofton is important both as part of Wiltshire’s social history and internationally as a working steam pumping station”