Markfield Beam Engine and Museum

Did you know Markfield Beam Engine & Museum is entirely volunteer run and relies on your generosity to keep its doors open?

It costs around £500 every time we steam the engine, a truly unforgettable experience made possible by your kind support.

Every donation, big or small, helps us keep the museum free to visit for everyone.

You can donate securely online via PayPal, set up a standing order, or even tap your card at our donation point during your visit.

Why not see your support in action? Join us this Sunday 12th October (10am–3:30pm) for our open day!

Meet our passionate volunteers and enjoy a great day out with the family. There’s the café next door, Markfield Park’s playground, and plenty of open space to explore.

Thank you for helping us preserve this special piece of London’s heritage for generations to come.

🕰 Free entry | Donations welcome
🔗 Donate online: link in bio
🏦 Or set up regular giving (see our website for details)
📍 Markfield Park, N15 4RB

We're open tomorrow! Join us 10am-3:30pm and take a look inside this magnificent 1888 Victorian building.

The steam engine won't be running tomorrow (sorry!) but it's still a great day out to have a look around at the engine and architecture and chat to our volunteers.

Perfect for families and budding engineers!
🎟️ ADMISSION IS FREE!
📍 Markfield Park, London, N15 4RB

🚆 Getting here is easy:
South Tottenham station (10 mins walk)
Seven Sisters station (15 mins walk)
Tottenham Hale station (20 mins walk)

Visit www.mbeam.org for more information.

Behind every steaming day is our incredible team of volunteers! 🔧

From firing up the boiler to welcoming visitors, maintaining our Victorian marvel to running educational activities - our volunteers are the heart of Markfield Beam Engine Museum.

Our museum is entirely run by volunteers with no paid staff. These passionate individuals keep this remarkable piece of industrial heritage alive for everyone to enjoy, completely free of charge.

Fancy joining the team? We're always looking for new volunteers - no experience needed, just enthusiasm for sharing this amazing story with visitors.

Looking for a unique, family-friendly day out in Tottenham? Watch London’s mighty steam engine in action on our Steaming Days, or explore the museum and hands-on play table for budding young engineers.

🔥 Upcoming Open & Steaming Days:

September: 14th (Steaming), 21st (Steaming), 28th
October: 12th, 26th (Steaming)
November: 9th, 23rd
December: 14th (Steaming)

🕰 Open 10am–3:30pm | Free entry | Donations welcome
📍 Markfield Park, N15 4RB

☕ Grab a treat at while you’re here!
Save the date and bring the whole family—see you at the Beam Engine!

BEAUTY IN UTILITY ⚙️ The Victorians believed even sewage pumps should be beautiful!

This philosophy of 'only the best' extended to all aspects of Victorian public works, even infrastructure hidden from public view was crafted with pride and artistry.

Our engine stands on eight magnificent Doric columns with delicate acanthus leaf motifs adorning the framework - symbolising immortality, rebirth, and resurrection!

Victorian sewage works were often designed to resemble churches and cathedrals due to a combination of factors; the prevailing architectural styles of the time; the desire to create impressive public works; and the influence of the engineers who designed them.

These structures, while serving a functional purpose, were also intended to be aesthetically pleasing and to inspire a sense of civic pride.

To see inside our museum, why not pop along on to our next open day:
Sunday, July 13, 2025
10:00am-3:30pm

Swipe to see more photos of the Victorian industrial decoration at Markfield.

🛶  Our beam engine sits just a stone's throw from the River Lee, which has been a vital industrial artery for centuries.

In Victorian times, the river bustled with barges carrying goods to and from London's docks. Factories, mills and breweries lined its banks, using the water for power and transport. ⚙️

Unfortunately, it also became severely polluted as industrial waste and sewage poured in. 🚱

Our sewage works was part of early efforts in 1891 to clean up the river, transforming the River Lee from an industrial highway, to a haven for nature. 🌼🐝 

Say hello to our sewage system's most misunderstood residents! 🐀
While rats might seem like unlikely heroes, these fascinating creatures have a long history with sewage infrastructure like our historic beam engine:

🐀 Rats are incredibly intelligent—they can learn their names, solve puzzles, and even show empathy for other rats!

🐀 In the Victorian era, rats actually helped keep London's sewers flowing by consuming waste and preventing blockages.

🐀 These clever creatures have excellent memories and can remember routes through complex tunnel systems—much like the sewage networks our beam engine once served.

🐀 Contrary to popular belief, rats are naturally clean animals that groom themselves several times a day.

🐀 Modern sewer systems still benefit from rat activity as they help break down organic matter and can alert engineers to structural issues.

For this and other fascinating facts pop along to Markfield Beam Engine & Museum at our next open Day:

📆 Sunday 27th April
⏰ 10am to 3.30pm
📍 Markfield Park, London, N15 4RB
🎟️ Free entry

BIG NEWS! 🗞️ We’re thrilled to announce that and have officially merged to form the Heritage and Communities Trust!

Read more... ⬇️