The Bratch Pumping Station, Wombourne, South Staffs.

2006
Our Next Event 17th and 18th June The Summer Steam International Gala
If last year is anything to go by (perfect weather….) we can expect well over 3,000 visitors in the course of our 2006 two day gala. "Victoria" will be steamed most of the time between 11:00 and 16:00 on both days, and we'll keep her ticking over till everyone has had a chance to view.

The Black Country Steamers will be demonstrating their engineering models and working engines, and we hope to have a couple of showmen's engines in steam, as well as other steam exhibits including two traction engines shipped across from The Netherlands for another event and available for our gala weekend.
Vintage vehicles, children's attractions, Tombola and our renowned, great value, home made refreshments complete the picture at present. Free parking, disabled parking and an entrance fee of just £3 per adult, half price for Young Engineers (under 16) and free for members: please show membership card.
As usual we must ask that for our neighbours' sake and for your personal safety, you should not obstruct Bratch Lane, you must not bring any animals on to the site (a Severn Trent stipulation) and that you exercise extra care when you are in the Pumphouse, where there is heavy moving machinery, open tread stairs and potentially dangerously hot steam pipes.

After the gala we are experimenting with Summer Sunday openings on 30 July and every Sunday in August, 11:00 to 16:00, for casual visitors, walkers and boaters from the Staffs and Worcs canal. We won't be steaming Victoria, but hope that everyone can have a relaxed walk around the engine to see it, and then have a cuppa before they continue their journey. There will be a modest charge of course, but nothing that will break the bank!

As always we have to remind everyone that dogs are not allowed on site. This is a Severn Trent stipulation, since drinking water is still pumped from the site.


Our last Christmas Steaming - 2005
Our one-day Christmas steaming on 28 December was again a great success with roughly 1,300 visitors coming to see us. There was some bunching up around lunchtime, but even so, everyone was in a good mood, and were entertained by Joe Davies' splendid fairground organ, and no-one had to wait more than about 20 minutes to get into the engine house itself. The surplus we made on the day is going to provide interpretation boards and a new pump in the boiler house, making fuel transfer a much easier and faster process.
Photographs from the above will be uploaded shortly

Our last Summer Steam Gala event, June 2005
Our 2 day Steaming Gala on 18th and 19th June was a magnificent success in every way. We can claim it as an International gala, since our very first visitor (an hour early!) was Italian and said he had come on his bike all the way! There were also a couple of French families and a group of American visitors. The thunderstorms held off till late on Sunday afternoon, meaning that everyone benefited from two full days of beautiful sunshine. We had larger numbers than ever before, well over 3,000 in the two days. The heat in the engine house was close to unbearable , but Len and his team did a magnificent job and received many plaudits for the friendly way they explained Victoria's workings. We also welcomed nearly 20 new members and made some useful contacts.
==========