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crofton beam engines

Crofton Beam Engines

Step into our industrial and social history from a time when steam was king

  • Home
  • Visit
    • Opening Times & Prices
    • Visitor Information
    • Steam Experience
    • Accessibility Guide
    • Shop
  • What’s On
  • Engines
    • How to Drive the Engines
    • Interesting Items
    • Mechatronics Project
    • No 1 Engine – Boulton and Watt
    • No 2 Engine – Harvey of Hayle & Co. 1846
    • Small Engines
    • The Boilers
    • The Cornish Cycle
    • The Water Pumps
    • Winter Maintenance
  • News
  • Contact
    • Press
Crofton Beam Engines

Opening Times & Prices

Address, Telephone, E-mail Address and SatNav Postcode

Crofton Beam Engines, Crofton, Nr Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 3DW.
Telephone: 01672 870300
What3Words: ///builds.wiser.exploring Is our site entrance location.
E-mail: crofton@katrust.org.uk

2026 Winter Works Open Days

A chance for visitors to see behind the scenes during our closed winter period.

About Winter Maintenance
Winter Maintenance Days

2026 Winter Workdays:-

As well as being open during the summer months for our Steaming Events and Sunday Open Days, Crofton, which is entirely run by volunteers, is only open to visitors on Tuesdays and on selected Saturday Winter Maintenance days from the beginning of October to the end of March each year. See the calendar below for dates and times.

Entry is free to the site on Winter Maintenance days. However a suggested donation of £5 per head would be welcome. There is a charge for car parking of £1.50 for 2 Hours & £3.00 all day.

 The car park will be closed promptly at 3.00 pm.

Opening Times

Car ParkSiteStation
10:30 – 15:0010:30 – 14:00 (last entry at 13:30)10:30 – 14:00

Winter Work Open Days

FebruarySaturday 21st
MarchSaturday 7th
MarchSaturday 21st
MarchSaturday 28th

2026 Steaming Days

There is a charge to enter the site on steaming days. Crofton Beam Engines now operates on an ANNUAL PASS STEAMING ticket giving unlimited entry on Steaming Days only for one year from time of purchase. You can either book online or buy your entrance ticket on the door. We will always have plenty of room for visitors.Car parking is Free.

Admissions

Annual Pass Steaming£14.50
Child (under 16)FREE
CarerFREE
Kennet and Avon Canal Trust Member
*with a valid membership card
£7.25
Car ParkFREE

2026 Non Steaming Days

There is no charge to enter the site on non steaming days except for Special Events. Crofton Beam Engines now operates on an ANNUAL PASS NON STEAMING ticket giving unlimited entry to the Engine House on Non Steaming Days only for one year from time of purchase. Car parking is Free.

On Non Steaming Days Visitors are welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy overlooking the canal and railway on our open days.

Admissions

Annual Pass Non Steaming7.25
Child (under 16)FREE
CarerFREE
Kennet and Avon Canal Trust Member *with a valid membership card3.50
Car Park FREE
Opening Days 2026
Steaming Days & Special EventsNon Steaming DaysNon Steaming Days Special Events
April 5th
April 6th
April 26th
May 3rd
May 4th
May 24th
May 25th
May 10th
May 17th
June 20th
June 21st
June 7th
June 14th
July 25th
July 26th
July 5th
July 19th
July 12th
August 30th
August 31th
August 2nd
August 16th
August 23rd
August 9th
September 26th
September 27th
September 6th
September 20th
September 13th

Private Group Tours 2026

Throughout the year we offer private group tours via prior arrangement on selected days of the week. A group is a minimum of 8 people.

£8.50 per person, includes tea, coffee and biscuits on arrival.

For more information or to book a visit, please contact us.

Contact Us

Car Parking

There is a charge for parking on all open days and Group Tours.

There is a tarmacked and bay-marked chargeable Pay and Display car park at Crofton Beam Engines with 32 spaces for cars, 2 accessible spaces and a bay for motorcycles.

Up to 2 hours£1.50
All Day (until 17:00)£3.00

On large steaming and other event days ample additional parking is available in the adjacent field, accessible via the short track to opposite the main gate. The grass surface of this parking area may not be suitable for all vehicles and use is at the driver’s discretion and risk.

Gift Aid

We invite visitors to support Crofton and the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust as a registered charity by Gift Aiding their admission.

For full information about Gift Aid, please see our page about Gift Aid.

If you have any enquires, please do ask when you visit.

Steam Experience

Have you ever wanted to stoke a huge coal fired boiler or operate the oldest fully working beam engine in the world?

Now is your chance!

Accompanied by an experienced and knowledgeable volunteer, you can light and stoke the boiler, work with the Duty Engineer, enter areas not normally seen by the public, prepare the engines for steaming, and finally take control of the oldest, working beam engine in the world.

More Information and Booking
working the crofton beam engine
Crofton Beam Engines
kids at crofton beam engines
The Crofton engine
Watching the water pump out
volunteers at crofton beam engines
Vintage cars as Crofton's Steam Gala
Ornate cylinder head
Crofton from Wilton Windmill
working on the engine
Phill Harding driving the engine
Crofton Pumping Station in the snow 2019

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Contact

Crofton Beam Engines, Crofton,
Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 3DW 
crofton@katrust.org.uk

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