Help Us Get Our Victorian Beam Engine Moving Again!

22nd January 2026 | Lichfield, Staffordshire – Lichfield Waterworks Trust is calling on the public to help bring a remarkable piece of Victorian engineering back to life. Our dedicated team of volunteers is working tirelessly to renovate the historic Sandfields Pumping Station in Lichfield, and we now need your support to get our iconic Victorian Cornish Beam Engine moving again.
We are aiming to raise £5,000 to fund the materials required to restore movement to this extraordinary engine, which has stood silent for almost a century.
A unique piece of industrial heritage Lichfield Waterworks Trust exists to preserve and develop the Sandfields Pumping Station and its fascinating history. At the heart of the site is a rare Victorian Beam Engine – one of only four surviving examples in the entire country.
Built by Jonah & George Davies of Tipton and installed in 1873, the engine played a vital role during the Industrial Revolution. For 50 years it pumped clean water to the Black Country, helping to combat outbreaks of cholera and dramatically improve public health.
The engine was taken out of service in 1927 and has not moved since. While our volunteers have the skills and expertise to carry out the preparation work to restore it to working order, we need financial support to purchase the specialist materials and expert external engineering experience required.
Why getting the engine moving matters
Restoring movement to the beam engine would transform Sandfields Pumping Station in a number of important ways.
A working engine would significantly enhance the visitor experience, allowing people to see Victorian engineering in action rather than as a static exhibit. This would help attract more visitors to the site, generating vital income to support further restoration work.
The scale of the engine alone is breathtaking. The main beam measures 36 feet (10.97m) long, weighs 20 tons (20.32 tonnes), and when operational will reciprocate 14 times a minute, just as it did when pumping water in the 19th century.
Seeing this immense structure move again would be a powerful and memorable experience.
A working engine would also enable the Trust to expand its educational offer. We would be able to help children from the local area understand the role this engine played in the Industrial Revolution, public health, and the development of modern water supplies.
Finally, increased visitor numbers will benefit the wider area, encouraging visitors to spend more time in Lichfield and support our local businesses.
How you can help
With your support, we can bring this incredible piece of history back to life. Every contribution will help us move closer to seeing the beam reciprocate once more, nearly 100 years after it last moved.
Please contribute to our CrowdFunder appeal
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/lichfield-waterworks-trust-1160876
and help us get our Victorian Beam Engine moving again – and keep Lichfield’s industrial heritage alive for future generations