Housed in the former Goldstone Pumping Station (built in the 1860s to supply water to Brighton and Hove), the Engineerium isn’t just a museum — it’s a working demonstration of how steam power once drove an entire city. On this special Steam-Up experience, the boilers are lit and the engines are run under power, filling the space with the heat, sound and scent of real steam engineering in action.

This is not about looking at machines behind ropes. It’s about seeing how they actually work.

The engine halls and machinery have been meticulously conserved and revived under the leadership of Chief Engineer Peter Fagg and Second Engineer Michael Rozsnyaki, whose work has transformed the site into a living classroom for mechanical and civil engineering heritage. Their approach combines historical accuracy with modern engineering discipline — keeping 19th-century plant operating safely and authentically in the 21st century.

Architecturally, the Engineerium is pure Victorian confidence: ornate ironwork, terracotta tiles, cast-iron grilles and towering brickwork surround engines that were designed not only to perform, but to impress. Daylight pours through arched windows onto polished flywheels, valve gear and pipework that are as elegant as they are functional.

During this private IMechE tour, you’ll:

• See steam engines and boilers operating under live conditions
• Learn how these machines once powered the region’s water supply
• Explore the engineering logic behind Victorian pump and power systems
• Hear directly about the technical challenges of conserving working steam plant
• Have time for real Q&A with knowledgeable guides

If you care about how engineering shaped cities — and how we preserve that legacy properly — this is a rare chance to see large-scale steam power doing exactly what it was built to do.

Before and after the tour there will be market event at the British Engineerium, where food and beverages may be purchased.

Places are limited. Engineering history doesn’t sit still here — it runs.

Date & Time: 9^th May 2026, as there is a market event running that day, guest may arrive any time but must be ready for the tour by 12:15 for a 12:30 start. Please note this timing is 30 minutes later than planned originally and the tour will last roughly 30 minutes.

Tickets: £5 per person. Max 25 people.

Address: The British Engineerium, The Droveway, Hove, BN3 7QA

Getting there:

Car: No parking on site. You are able to park around Hove Park for up to 3 hours free of charge (please plan ahead).

Bus: Local buses stop on Old Shoreham Road (10 minutes’ walk) and Neville Road (5 minutes’ walk).  

Visit the Brighton & Hove Buses website for more information about bus routes.

Train: Hove Station is a 20 minute walk.  

Services from London Victoria and London Blackfriars to Hove take just over an hour, with regular trains via Gatwick airport, towns across Sussex, and destinations along the coast.

Cycling: There are Beryl Bike stands in both Hove Park and Waitrose Car Park.

20 minute walk from Hove Railway Station