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.


Safety briefing and protective clothing will be provided and you will receive a commemorative certificate recording the event.
“I must confess I don’t know where or how to start thanking you and your team for an amazing steam experience. Everything was so well orchestrated with just the right level of delivery from your colleagues who managed to answer all questions that were thrown at them! Once again thanks so much for a wonderful day” – Lewis Phillips Approved to use this and his name.
All accompanying persons will need to purchase an admission ticket. Light breakfast included. Experience holders to bring a packed lunch to enter into the spirit of the volunteer experience on the day.
Experience Price
£195 per person
We can accommodate joint booking for friends or family members. Please fill in our Enquiry Form at the bottom of this page to contact us for more information.
Experience Times
07:00 to 15:30
Tasks within the experience include: Boiler light up and firing experience, tour of areas not accessible to the public, assisting with engine warm-though procedures and pre-start safety checks, operating of stop valves and steam cylinder oiling, beam gallery operations and driving the 1812 Boulton and Watt Engine.
Experience Terms and Conditions
After booking you will be contacted by a member of the Crofton Team to discuss the experience further, access requirements, arrival information and on the day contacts.
Please note Steam Experience is offered only to persons aged 18 and over.
There are a number of stairs in the building. Only the Boiler House and Launder levels are accessible for those with limited mobility.
All tickets are non-refundable. However, in the event of illness preventing attendance, rebooking for a later event in the same year is permitted at the discretion of Crofton Beam Engines. Changes to the booked time for a visit for other reasons are entirely at the discretion of Crofton Beam Engines. Where a change to a booking is agreed, an administration fee of £25 per booking will be charged.
