Coleham Pumping Station, Shrewsbury

Coleham Pumping Station, resembling a Victorian Chapel in style, was built in 1900 to house two massive steam-driven beam engines. These were built in-situ by Renshaws of Stoke in 1897/1898, to pump sewage as part of Shrewsbury’s new sewerage system. These coal-fired pumps were used until 1970. Ownership of the building, pumps and grounds was transferred to Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council in 1974, since when the Pumping Station has been managed by Shrewsbury Museums Service.

Shrewsbury Steam Trust was originally founded in 1992 under the ‘umbrella’ of The County of Salop Steam Engine Society Ltd., to restore the steam engines at Coleham Pumping Station. It is now an independent charitable trust with the same aim.

The Coleham area of Shrewsbury has an industrial past that is, perhaps, second only to Ironbridge as far as Shropshire is concerned. Coleham Pumping Station is the last remnant of that past and still plays a central role in Shrewsbury’s sewage management.  Nowadays, there are electrical pumps, operated remotely by Severn Trent Water.

The Museum comprises the Pumping Station buildings, the beam-engines and boilers, ancillary equipment and some objects from the collections of Shrewsbury Museums Service, plus other items belonging to Shrewsbury Steam Trust.

The Pumping Station is currently opened to the public on pre-advertised Sundays during the spring and summer. One of the Cornish boilers was restored to steam by members of the Trust in 2002, and normally both the beam engines are operated under steam during these weekend openings.

Open days 2007: 22 April; 27 May; 24 June; 29 July; 8 and 9 Sept.; 28 Oct.

Group and educational visits can be arranged on the Mondays following these dates, to take advantage of the steaming.

Telephone: 01743 361196