Bio fuel trials at Crofton Beam Engines

About

We are pleased to announce that our Pumping Station will have a full day's trial burning an environmentally friendly bio-fuel, or green fuel, throughout the public open day on September the 28th.

To keep Crofton Beam Engine's future secure our engineers at Crofton have been trialling several different types of alternative fuels. Most are unsuitable for our circa 100 year old Lancashire boiler. However, a by-product of the rape seed oil industry may become an alternative fuel for us. We need to look at the long term feasibility of this alternative fuel including it's effects on our boiler and flues. Following shorter trials, we wanted to share our research so far with the public with a full day trial.

Why an alternative fuel? We are a coal-based Heritage site and will continue to respect our heritage and the traditions of the steam age as long as we are able to source suitable coal for our boilers. However, we know that coal will become increasingly difficult and expensive to obtain and to secure the future of Crofton Beam Engines as a working museum we must find sustainable alternatives to coal. We also wish to reduce our carbon footprint in such a manner that we can both honour our history and take Crofton's Pumping Station forward.

Further details of the fuel: The fuel is compressed rape seeds formed into brickettes when the seeds are crushed to extract the oil. This leaves behind a highly calorific solid fuel that can be easily handled and performs well in our boiler. Although more expensive than coal it does hold out the possibility of sustaining Crofton Beam Engines well into the next decade and beyond.

The future: For those who love the smell of coal, we will continue to burn our traditional fuel while we can obtain it. For those interested in reducing carbon footprints, by burning alternative fuels on a number of days during next year's steaming season, if this and subsequent trials are successful, we will do just that.

As well as steaming with the rape seed biofuel we will also be celebrating Railway 200 and our long and fortuitous relationship with Brunel's Great Western Railway. There will be an exhibition about that relationship, and a trail for children to follow, finding some of GWRs tools that we continue to use to this day.

Our Smithy Tea Room will be open for the day serving a mix of hot and cold drinks and light refreshments. We encourage visitors to make use of our picnic benches in the grounds to enjoy a picnic or just sit and soak up the atmosphere.
https://www.croftonbeamengines.org/