Kennet and Avon Canal 75th Aniversary celebrations at Crofton Beam Engines

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2026 marks the 75th anniversary of the creation of the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust, which led the fight to save this remarkable waterway from oblivion.

Crofton Beam Engines is a branch of the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust and we will be celebrating the restoration of the Pumping Station at Crofton by welcoming the Trust's accessibility boat Hannah on her way to along the canal to Bristol and back to Reading Waterfest. Hannah's journey commemorates Timothy West and Prunella Scales, who were the first to travel the full length of the canal when it reopened in 1990, and who served as Vice Presidents of the Trust for many years.

The 2nd of June is a workday for us and we welcome visitors to the station to see what we do, meet volunteers and of course from approximately 12:00 to 14:00 to visit Hannah while she is moored up alongside us. Entry to Crofton Beam Engines is free, a suggested donation of £5 per person will help us maintain this crucial element of the Kennet and Avon Canal's heritage.