Abbey Pumping Station

Abbey Pumping Station is Leicester's Museum of Science and Technology, displaying the city's industrial, technological and scientific heritage.

Situated adjacent to the National Space Centre, the two attractions tell the story of over 200 years of science and technology from the early days of steam and industry, to space exploration of today.

Opened in 1891, the Abbey Pumping Station pumped Leicester's sewage to the treatment works at Beaumont Leys and the grand Victorian building and beautifully decorated beam engines were a cause of great civic pride. The Pumping Station closed in 1964.

The beam engines were built in Leicester by Gimsons and are rare examples of Woolf compound rotative beam engines. With all four beam engines now restored back to working condition and can be seen in steam at one of our special events, the only place in Britain this magnificent sight can be seen.

The museum also has exhibitions on light and optics, historic transport and public health.

All of the four massive beam engines were seen working together by over 4,000 vistors to the museum during the 2014 Leicester Vintage Festival.