Celebrations as steam returns to pumping station

Volunteers at a pumping-station heritage site are celebrating the return to service of two steam engines, which were switched off four years ago over safety concerns.

A tall chimney at Coleham Pumping Station in Shrewsbury was found to be unsafe in 2022, and there were fears that steam engines there would never be fired again.

The building, built in about 1900, houses two huge steam-driven beam engines which were once used to pump sewage in the town until the 1970s. The site reopened as a museum.

The problem has now been resolved, and steam returned to the pumping station on 1 September, marking the path for the museum to begin hosting open days and steam demonstrations for the public again.

The successful testing was down to the work of a group of volunteers from the Shrewsbury Steam Trust, who have been dedicated to getting the unsafe chimney fixed and sorting other issues, including replacing vital boiler pipework.

They gathered at the station on Tuesday along with an inspector, who had previously worked on the Flying Scotsman.

The boiler had been lit days in advance, and the safety valve lifted, releasing a loud hiss of white and grey steam.

"We've been waiting a long time for this... we're back in action," said Noel Foley, one of the volunteers.

He said the moving parts of the machinery were so smooth and accurate, a two-pence piece could sit on top of it, balanced on its edge, and not fall off.

"It's amazing, for something that's 126 years old and has been flooded numerous times."

"There's been a lot of work by a lot of people to get to this."

Another volunteer, John McLean, added: "It's lovely because we haven't seen it properly for about four years."

The inspector said that the engines had passed the steam test, which was met with excitement from the team.

The volunteers, who maintain and rebuild machinery and host open days, have now set their sites on holding a public steaming event in spring 2027.

"It's a very, very big day for us; it's a big day for the town for its history as well," added volunteer Ron Targett.

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