originally named brighton taking present engineering steam power museum area english city brighton located north housed 19th century high victorian gothic complex brick buildings erected pumping station local water supply company supplied water local area century converted present use greatest extent complex consisted boiler houses engines chimney coal workshop cooling pond underground reservoir situated naturally chalk hollow provided vast quantities water rapidly growing towns larger neighbour fashionable seaside resort brighton century new sources water found modern equipment installed exploit pumping station importance declined closed threatened complex demolition industrial archaeologist offered restore buildings machinery return lease charitable trust formed enable expertise developed employees volunteers exploited world founded museums undertook restoration projects trained young people engineering heritage conservation subsequently bought complex closed public restoration extension work takes place high victorian gothic buildings landmark good example 19th century utility definitely equal industrial buildings decorative elaborate windows structures foot chimney stands apart main buildings like english heritage listed complex architectural historical importance giving structures separate listings boiler house chimney listed grade second highest designation coal shed cooling pond tall flint brick wall surrounding site lower grade status restored pumping station equipment complex wide range exhibits place year opened include 19th century horse drawn fire engine traction engines veteran victorian household equipment old tools french built horizontal steam engine dating principal exhibit exhibits educate promote study industrial history called world centre teaching engineering conservation central activities years larger indigenous exhibits fully operational steam weekends history brighton neighbouring english channel coast sea built vast chalk regular supply naturally pure water available natural reservoir settlements early days wells sunk exploit rapid growth brighton 18th early 19th century followed similar expansion pressure local authorities provide sources better supply system wells increasingly contaminated sewage blocked reducing towns water supply local water company brighton founded june means act parliament built road provided water hours day wealthy customers facility horsepower beam engines 1850s water needed continually expanding population intermittent supply road alternative wells new company formed aim introducing large scale consistent supply brighton surrounding villages brighton bought predecessor time turn acquired means act parliament pumping imperial gallons day houses brighton surrounding villages preston company employed eminent civil engineer find suitable site new pumping station built victorian counterparts oversaw schemes britain abroad advised company shallow chalk valley south end village outside good candidate drilling test wells sunk confirmed impression company bought acres land granted permission build pumping station site stage facility suffering pollution opening pumping station building sufficient satisfy demand work took place facility opened year brighton operated acquisition original form complex consisted boiler house adjacent engine room coal chimney described historian truly monumental built brick engine room housed horsepower beam engine london based manufacturer compound engine type patented engineer water drawn foot started immediately engine known number engine driven lancashire boilers twin fed coal imperial gallons water pumped hour ownership water facilities brighton area passed formed new committee called operate demand water continued rise corporation undertook major expansion pumping station second engine room added separate coal storage shed built grounds workshop facilities provided range machine tools forge separate steam engine apparently left great exhibition new engine house equipped horsepower compound unit built firm anderson pumping capacity imperial gallons hour powered lancashire boilers mayor fired engine time october visit members committee recorded plaque engine room network arched tunnels built link new coal shed workshop firing platform boiler room subterranean passages coal trucks extension took place cooling pond artificial built land pumping station new imperial underground reservoir built ran mile westwards complex spent work building brighton road race hill built tile brick portland cement constantly imperial minute numerous natural chalk surrounding area substantially interwar period water treated boilers replaced new models type built based company capacity greater generate pounds force steam hour pumping station soon went decline electric pumps available 1940s installed number engine room engine decommissioned time new lancashire boilers time use years number engine taken service maintained years case required pumping stations newly built rebuilt world war near old road source closed pollution came use corporation increased supplies acquiring 1950s considered outdated longer required corporation announced plans build small electric site demolish 19th century buildings scrap steam era equipment london based steam engineering expert immediately set trying save buildings contents applied forerunner present english_heritage body listed status granted buildings complex granted june following year issued preservation order preventing demolition significant alteration buildings acquired lease complex planned restore derelict state establish industrial museum educational centre set trust run time complex new owner water act water industry england wales transferring ownership water infrastructure local authorities government controlled regional companies entity granted lease started work money soon arrived form grants donations gave trust granted trust received largest historic buildings grant awarded sussex point october year volunteers began restore complex machinery state disrepair boiler house number engine priority started workshop repaired equipment carry necessary work boiler house number engine particularly bad condition roof wrecked metal fixtures moss growing exposed surfaces boilers operational number engine steamed taken apart rebuilt building restored moving cleaned hand exterior correct colour original discovered layers mould men worked months tasks number engine successfully fired march renovated lancashire boilers tested inspected safety officials left state complex opened public good friday official reopening october exactly years number engine fired came coal store converted exhibition educational area time named brighton complex given present time exhibits display boilers number engine fired weekend cost running employing people including professional engineers running year owned site paid improvements grants came financial backing central government acknowledged national international leader industrial heritage world centre teaching engineering conservation employees helped set similar institutions world designated england industrial heritage year centre second royal visit duke kent coincided fundraising plea million spent extensions exhibition space workshop applied unsuccessfully grant paid right attach mobile phone mast chimney ongoing funding problems caused close complex contents auction inventory split hundreds separate lots buildings valued million auction begin local businessman offered million buildings million contents donated half accepted assets passed ownership stayed shut new owner invested improvements extensions february stated expected reopen year october opened day raise money charity demonstrated steam engines exhibits museum collection outside display august brighton approved planning application renovation work including extension structural engineers found building poor condition january application submitted seek permission demolish rebuild machine room general restoration work began october supported second open day died october aged architecture described brighton historian unusually fine asset brighton fellow historian splendid example victorian industrial engineering buildings patterned foot chimney south finely detailed landmark buildings machinery inside demonstrate widespread belief victorian designers architects object building matter commonplace humble embellished main buildings walls consist bands red yellow blue brick layers ground floor red appearance cast iron windows set round arched openings string course runs building consists alternate patterns red black brick slate roof flat topped set engine room engine rooms storey bay window range flank single storey boiler room bays right hand bays windows similar engine rooms chimney stands feet south engine rooms boiler house rectangular style structure stands base tapering chimney slightly tall arched panels face forming slight runs way round linking colours detailing buildings coal shed exhibition hall attached workshops red brown brick walls shallow slate roof workshops contribute architectural interest building perpendicular rear coal shed building overall shape sloping land gives building single storey north end second lower storey rear bay north façade arched entrances smaller flanking pair replacement doors standing grounds complex cooling pond measures square feet sides opens southwest surrounded small walls red brick connects boiler house hot water flows heat exchange takes place cooling pond cold water returned boilers tall flint brick walls dating surround complex sides small laid courses form main building material sides parts red main entrance red brick piers iron gates emblem walls inside outside irregular intervals outside south wall contains drinking fountain panel users commit prevalent area found pumping station built contractors fashioned deliberately ancient looking southwest corner engine rooms exhibits hundreds exhibits relating history engineering steam power display exhibition hall occupies coal storage shed central feature hall steam engine built france american inventor patented design president valve gear invented improved efficiency horizontal engines innovation example assembled based company shown paris won prize years bought taken apart brought engine generate horsepower foot long ton turns times minute machine weighs long tons horse drawn fire engine dating originally owned local authority devon vehicle bought restored museum employees vertical steam engine cylinders pair flanking central steam traction engine built restored range veteran display oldest vehicle built complex smaller steam engines display alongside victorian tools domestic equipment equipment workshop original main forge heavy duty metal single cylinder steam engine power belts drive machine tools workshop years old acquired beginning purpose collection exhibits portray explain history development civil mechanical engineering british industry restoration pumping station original equipment acquisition pieces associated industrial pioneers example model engine valued auction heritage status later bought complex found threatened demolition successfully sought listed predecessor english heritage organisation granted listed status separate parts june covering pumping station main structures boiler rooms engine house jointly listed grade free standing chimney structures listed grade cooling pond coal storage shed flint brick walls surrounding complex second highest designations awarded listed buildings buildings defined particularly important special interest february boiler house chimney represented buildings structures listed buildings grades city brighton lowest status given nationally important buildings special interest february buildings city acre zone incorporating complex conservation area areas city brighton
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