Steam Workshop

Until the coming of electricity and the internal combustion engine, in the early part of the twentieth century, steam was the main source of power for industry.

The 1913 wood fired steam boiler and steam engine in the Pioneer Settlement’s steam workshop can be used to provide power for the wide range of engineering equipment on display, all of which is fully functional.

The steam boiler is run regularly during the cooler months. During summer the fire hazard means that we run it less frequently. When we need maintenance on our larger wooden vehicles, we use this workshop. It makes big wooden parts, like wheel centres, on the large flat-plate bed lathe.