This guide does not contain personal opinions as to our suitability for those with disabilities, but aims to accurately describe the facilities and services that we offer all our visitors.

Papplewick Pumping Station is Britain’s finest surviving Victorian pumping station. It was built 1882-1885 and supplied water until 1969 and later, in 1974, became a museum run by the Papplewick Pumping Station Trust.

Papplewick is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, the highest preservation order that be bestowed upon a building in England. This scheduling ensures the preservation of the site for future generations to enjoy but it does prevent the trustees from undertaking certain measures to improve access for all i.e. banisters for outside staircases or installation of elevators.

The trustees take their responsibilities for providing universal access provision very seriously and adhere to the Equality Act accordingly. We work hard to provide the highest level of access to the whole site but in some instances, due to the historic nature of the pumping station, this is not always possible.

For full details of how to reach us please see the ‘Get In Touch‘ section of our website, alternatively, you can click the link below to go to our Google Listing, and enter your Post Code for accurate directions.

The pumping station is built on a slight incline with a mixture of cobble sets and asphalt on the main drive. The paths around the Engine House are hard surfaced with a layer of very small granite chippings that do not impede wheelchair mobility. The majority of the cobble sets are located in and around the Boiler House and part of the Coal Shelter.

On a steam weekend the pumping station’s main car park will be open on the opposite side of the road to the main gates. As you pass through the car park gate there are disabled spaces on the right and left hand side. This section has an asphalt surface and flat access leading across the road to the pumping station entrance and shop. Please take care crossing the road.

On a non steaming open day (Sundays & Wednesdays) vehicles are allowed to drive through the main gates and park on site at the top of the drive. There is an admission fee to enter the Engine and Boiler Houses; you not need to pay to view the grounds or visit the café.

On a steaming day pass through the right hand side gate and proceed up the asphalt path which takes you around the Superintendent’s House and brings you to the Visitor Reception. Please note that there is a steady incline on the path.

The path leads you directly to visitor reception. On steam days its door is usually fixed open. Access into the shop is accessible to wheelchairs but please note that the door frame is single width at 72cm. Tickets are purchased from the counter immediately in front of you.

Once tickets have been bought you may proceed into the Introduction room to view the interpretation boards. To access this room, you pass through another single width door of 72cm located to the right of the ticket counter.

To leave the Superintendent’s House, there are two choices: (a) via the front door steps down on to the main drive, or (b) return the way you came, out through the reception door and left through the courtyard door to access a flat, asphalt path that leads you out half way up the main drive. NB: the steps at the front of the house have no banister. There are a total of 10 steps down to the drive. The courtyard door has a width of 108cm.

The visitor reception desk is not lowered and we currently do not have a hearing loop system.

The visitor reception is only open on steaming days unless specified otherwise. At other times, admission fees to enter the pumping station buildings are paid at the Boiler House.

Access from the shop to the main part of site involves moving along the driveway. A section of driveway has cobbles in the middle but wide asphalt pathways on either side.

At the top left of the drive the asphalt gives way to the first type of original cobble sets that cover the area around the stable block and part of the Coal Shelter. These cobbles are closely packed forming a relatively flat surface. The other types of cobble sets are located around the Boiler House and second half of the Coal Shelter. These cobbles have deep slopes that may pose an obstacle to wheelchairs (see image below).

The path area around the café block is flat, comprising tightly packed stones. There are shallow ramps leading up to both entrances of the café.

The area through the woods and children’s play area has a pathway made up of compacted stone chippings.

Access along the front of the Engine House and around the Cooling Pond is via a granite chipped pathway which is flat and level throughout.

Access to the Boiler House, which is located near to the Coal Shelter, is through a large slide door that is always opened wide on public open days. Passing through this door takes you into the Boiler House and the flooring is on the same level throughout.

Throughout the Boiler House the flooring is cobbled stone sets.

Access to the Engine House can be achieved from the Boiler House via a staircase. One staircase has a banister and is located at the far end of the Boiler house (see image below).

Once above the boilers, the walkway comprises slightly uneven flagstones that lead around to the rear door of the Engine House.

Access can be from the front of the building or from the back through the Boiler House. Both entrances have stairs that have to be traversed to gain access into the Engine House, although the stairs at the front of the building have a shallower gradient than those in the Boiler House and might be easier to negotiate.

The building has two sets of internal, cast iron stairs. The first set has a twist to the right, the others go straight up. An access book is available in the Engine House showing the upper floors and decoration of the building for those who are unable to ascend the internal stairs.

The Engine House floor is flat and level with handrails located around the forward part of the beam engines and up the staircases.

In the Engine and Boiler House we have three audio/visual monitors that provide information on how the boilers and beam engines work. If you require further information please ask a volunteer. Official souvenir guide books are also available to purchase from the souvenir cart on steaming days and from the Boiler House on static openings (Sundays and Wednesdays).

Entrance to the Linby Colliery winding engine shed is via a very wide roller shutter door with ramps to the left and the right to view the winding engine and associated displays.

On steam days we run guided tours up to Papplewick’s underground reservoir. Due to the nature of its original function is not currently accessible to those with mobility issues (see later in this document for more details). There is however an interpretation board near the reservoir ticket kiosk with images showing the interior.

There are two ramped access points into the café block. One is at the end of the building near to the chimney and the other is on the side of building facing the Linby Colliery winding shed.

The café ground floor interior is small but is able to accommodate a wheelchair. There is additional seating upstairs.

The doors leading into the café have a single width of 83cm.

There are two toilets available for disabled people. The first one is located in the Superintendent’s House, just before the entrance to the visitor reception.

There are two doors to pass through to enter the toilet; the first one has a width of 74cm whilst the actual toilet door itself has a width of 80cm; the door opens inwards. The other toilet is situated within the café block; its door opens outwards and has a width in excess of 80cm.

Both toilets have twist locks, lateral transfer space and fitted grab rails (both fixed and drop down varieties).

A key is not required to lock either toilet.

The sink in both toilets are fitted with lever type taps, paper towel dispensers and mirrors. The café block toilet also has a hand dryer. No dispensers are higher than 100cm from the floor. The disability toilet in the café has an emergency alarm.

Situated half a mile away from the main pumping station site on a hill is the underground reservoir that used to receive the water pumped out of the ground. It is now drained and visitors can take a guided tour inside. Tours last approximately 20 minutes.

Access to the reservoir is initially by passenger trailer to the top of the hill. After this the visitor must ascend a flight of concrete steps onto the roof of the reservoir. The roof of the reservoir has a path leading from the stairs to the Recorder House where the stairwell is located. From the Recorder House the visitor then descends via the stairwell into the reservoir interior. These steps have a metal banister on the right hand side. Please note there is currently no alternative method of access into the reservoir. Images of the reservoir interior can be seen in the Superintendent’s House, at the reservoir ticket kiosk and on the museum’s website.

The reservoir floor is flat except for two ‘sand trap’ steps with a 15cm height which run the width of the structure.

Lighting inside the reservoir is ambient and it will take a few moments for the visitor’s eyes to adjust. The tour guide has their own lamp to help illuminate steps etc.

The size of the reservoir can create powerful echoes if too much noise/talking is generated inside. Tour guides will inform visitors to be quiet before commencing tours out of respect for visitors’ enjoyment and those who may suffer hearing impairments.

Please note group sizes are limited to 26 people per tour.

Assistance dogs are welcome and water can be provided upon request.

Carers are entitled free entry but please bring documentation confirming you are the visitor’s official carer.

Selected staff and volunteers have received disability awareness training.

We have two wheelchairs available for use for those who require it whilst visiting us.

For any further information, please call or email us.