Abbey Pumping Station
About
The Abbey Pumping Station is a vibrant science and technology museum tucked into a grand Victorian industrial building in Leicester. Originally built in 1891 to pump sewage to a treatment farm, the site now houses four authentic Woolf compound beam engines that have been painstakingly restored to working order – a rare operational display of steam technology in the UK. Visitors are treated to interactive exhibits on water treatment, transport, light and optics, toys and civil engineering, as well as a nostalgic film theatre and a collection of vintage vehicles, including a narrow‑gauge railway and historic road fleet. The museum also hosts special steam‑days when the engines run in full display, bringing early industrial machinery to life for all ages.
Highlights
- Historic Beam Engines
- Interactive Exhibits
- Steam Days
Must-See Areas
Good to Know
Good for
At a glance
- Typical visit: about 2 hours