Ian Broom and Ron Plaster visit Crofton Beam Engines

At our last steaming weekend, two of the original volunteers from over 50 years ago called in to see us at Crofton Beam Engines. Ian Broom (left) and Ron Plaster.

All those years ago they came to Crofton on a mission. Ian recalls “As I described it, it was asleep. The thought was that this lot is going to be demolished. It’ll disappear. We better record the history and make some drawings of it. So we came up armed with all the equipment, and measured up and photographed”.

While documenting and recording what was there. They began to realise that it may be possible to restore Crofton Beam Engines back into working order.  Without the efforts and vision of these early pioneers Crofton Beam Engines may not be here today.

Written by Ian Broom, “The Crofton Story” compiled from extensive historical records, charts the history and building of the pumping station. The people who kept it working for 150 years, and the dedicated work from volunteers who helped restore Crofton back to working order.