Westonzoyland Pumping Station Museum

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Westonzoyland Pumping Station Museum

Westonzoyland is a small village on the Somerset Levels, a few miles from Bridgwater. Pride of place goes to the station's pumping engine, the Easton and Amos.

It is the home of Somerset's earliest steam-powered pumping station (built 1830), once a hard-working guardian of the flatlands, now a museum displaying the largest collection of stationary steam engines and pumps in the South of England. It is still in the main engine house, built in 1861 to replace an earlier engine that had been carrying out the pumping work since 1831. Other exhibits include a

Wills engine, Lancashire boiler, the original forge and a Lister diesel generating plant, to name just a few. A large number of restored engines can be seen in action on Steaming Days. Dates for these are posted on the Events page here. Volunteers work during the morning to get the boiler operating and generating enough steam power to run the exhibits, including the large Easton and Amos. Please look around our website www.wzlet.org for more information about the engines, the Trust's work and, of course, how to find us. The museum is a registered charity, run by unpaid volunteers, and relies solely on the income from visitors, subscriptions and donations. There is no subsidy from government.

21/05/2026

We are super excited to announce that Kerr Stuart 'Peter Pan' of 1922 will be returning to the Westonzoyland Light Railway at the end of August and will be the main feature of our Westonzoyland Light Railway Gala on Bank Holiday Monday 31st August!

Peter Pan will be joined by our home fleet of locomotives with both passenger and freight trains. We will be holding an official opening of our new extension and platform (currently under construction) 'Hoopers Elm Halt'.

The loco shed will also host model railways, second hand railway books and other railway displays!

18/05/2026

Well another hugely successful Steam on the Levels 2026 is over!

We would like to thank all our volunteers, supporters and visitors for making it such a special weekend despite the unsettled weather. Especially...

- Our neighbouring farmer and tenant for the loan of the exhibitor field for the weekend
- Somerset Industrial Archaeological Society for additional volunteers
- The Parrett Cider Company for the Bar
- Westonzoyland Carnival Club for the Hot Food
- Environment Agency for the rental of the car park field
- Taunton Country Market for the additional supply of cakes for the Thyer Cafe

Next years event will be on the 15th & 16th of May 2027!

17/05/2026

We are open for day two of Steam on the Levels 2026 and the weather is better! Great family day out with lots to see and do!

16/05/2026

Steam on the Levels 2026 is officially open! Come and visit us for a great family day out! Lots to see and do!

15/05/2026

We are all set for Steam on the Levels 2026 with the first exhibitors lined up and ready for opening at 10am tomorrow!

Please note the A361 between Walford Cross and Lower Durston is closed from 9.30-15:00 on Saturday for road surfacing works. Those coming from the Taunton area please come via. Bridgwater to avoid this. Sunday should be unaffected.

08/05/2026

A post from the Archives!

Whilst sorting through the mountains of historical documentation collected by the Somerset Industrial Archaeological Society (who share our specialist archive facility) they came across a copy of the original boiler certificate for the Fred Danks built Lancashire boiler installed here at Westonzoyland in 1914! This has never been seen by us so quite a surprise.

The certificate was issued by the Vulcan Boiler & General Insurance Co. Limited and confirms that they inspected the boiler during its construction and witnessed a successful hydraulic test to 115 lbs per square inch (psi) with approved working steam rated pressure of 70psi. Dated June 19th 1914.

It would be fantastic if we knew where the original was! We will however create a display board with this and an explanation to go alongside the boiler in the engine house.

06/05/2026

Todays major outcome was the final fettling and testing of the new railway extension. It started with fitting of final fishplates having been greased, a few alterations to the stepped fishplates onto the loading turnout and levelling and packing of the track. We then did final fitting of the turnout check rail.

The passenger train was set up, initially with Lister Railtruck 34758 and did a number of test runs. We then did the same with Planet 1830 and the Simplex 40S. Everything ran well and with a couple of tweaks declared the extension fit for operation over our Steam on the Levels 2026 event on the 16th & 17th May!

Elsewhere on site final pipework upgrades on the boiler were completed, a new recycled plastic picnic bench was put together which has been donated as a memorial.

29/04/2026

A slightly different start to todays working party. 28 children from Westonzoyland Primary School enjoyed a talk and guided tour of the Pumping Station as part of their Geography topic on Rivers. We concentrated on the River Parrett discussing tides, flooding, pumping stations, maintenance and some basic history on how the Somerset Levels have been shaped by humans for centuries. Of course they also really enjoyed their trip on the railway too!

Talking of railways, Chris & Sean were busy laying and bending the final panel of track needed to get the extension operational for Steam on the Levels 2026. Next Wednesday we will be doing the final fettling and testing before signing off for passenger use.

Jock has now completed the work on the Lister CS Compressor and new fuel system for this and the Crossley. We ran into a small fuelling issue in that the tank for the Lister CS needed a 4ft head and so a wall mounted tank was custom ordered. However this wasn't compatible with Crossley which it also supplies and the fuel floods out of that engines system. A steam trap with mechanical float was adapted and is now a fuel float switch which gets over this issue. The Lister CS was exhausted to outside but under load at 200psi the exhaust note was rather loud so it has now been diverted into the Crossley exhaust pipe which has made a huge improvement. Some final tweaks and clearing up in the area sees this ready for runs again for the Public.

Elsewhere on site saw grass cutting and trimming, pipework around water supplies to the Marshall boiler, painting of the recently delivered container and repairs to the boiler cabin timber doors.

27/04/2026

Our annual Steam & Vintage Extravaganza, Steam on the Levels 2026 is just around the corner! On the 16th & 17th May we open the Museum doors to a host of special exhibitors across an extended site!

Do not miss this fantastic event based at the first Steam Powered Pumping Station on the Somerset Levels!

- Steam Museum operating throughout the weekend with 35+ Stationary Steam Engines & Pumps including the award winning 1861 Easton Amos Land Drainage Machine
- 2ft Narrow Gauge Industrial Line with visiting Lister Railtruck providing passenger rides on a newly extended line!
- Visiting full sized traction engines and miniatures including the Museums Robey Portable in Steam
- Classic Cars, Vintage Tractors, Stationary Engines, Military & Other Vehicles
- Trade, Crafts & Model Displays including Radio Control Model Trucks & Railways
- Hot Food, Cafe & Licensed Bar
- Kids Trail, Hand Pumps & Bouncy Castle
- Free Parking
- Countryside River Setting

Adults £12 & Children 15 & Under FREE

Tickets Valid for Both Days
Open 10am to 5pm on Both Days

Tickets Available on the Gate, Cash & Card Accepted
https://www.wzlet.org/steamonthelevels

Address

Westonzoyland Pumping Station Museum, Hoopers Lane, Westonzoyland
Bridgwater
TA70LS

Opening Hours

1pm - 5pm

Telephone

+441278691595

Website

http://www.wzlet.org/

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