Opening Times – Current Position re: COVID-19
Following the latest government recommendations regarding Coronavirus / Covid-19 we have taken the decision to delay our opening of Crofton for the summer season 2020.
We anticipate that Crofton will be closed to the public until at least the end of July, which means our Steaming Weekends are cancelled together with other planned events both on and off-site.
On 17th March the decision was made to suspend Kennet & Avon Canal Trust activities as soon as practicable. This includes all boat operations, not opening Crofton as planned, closing the museum and cancelling all Trust meetings (other than online). We don’t know exactly how long this will need to last but we are assuming it will be at least until the end of July.
We will review the situation again during June after which we will publish the opening dates and times, which are anticipated to be Wednesdays-Sundays 10:30 to 16:30, plus Bank Holiday Mondays.
For more information, please see the Trust’s website www.katrust.org.uk. If you are a Crofton / KA Trust volunteer, please also see the following message to volunteers https://katrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Message-to-Volunteers-on-17-March-2020.pdf
There is no charge to enter the site
Admission Prices 2020
Crofton Beam Engines has three different admission price tariffs as follows:
Non-Steaming Days
Gift Aid | Standard | |
Adult (16-59) | £5.00 | £4.50 |
Concession (60+ & Students with ID) | £4.50 | £4.00 |
Child (Under 16) | Free | Free |
Groups (10+ Adults, no concessions) | N/A | £4.00 |
Kennet & Avon Canal Trust Members | Free | Free |
Carers accompanying full-paying adult | Free | Free |
Admission to see the boiler house and engines in 2020 are by self guided tour.
We invite visitors to support Crofton and the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust as a registered charity by Gift Aiding their admission ticket price.
Gift Aiding the ticket gives an extra 10% donation to the Trust in addition to regular admission which then allows the Trust to reclaim 25% of the total price paid from the Government at no cost to the visitor or the organisation.
For full information about Gift Aid, please see this link
Car Park Charges
There is a tarmacked and bay-marked chargeable Pay and Display car park at Crofton Beam Engines with 32 spaces for cars, 2 accessible spaces and a bay for motorcycles.
A revised car park tariff was put in place with effect from 15 January 2019 as follows:
Car Park Tariff 2019 | |
0-2 Hours | £1.00 |
All Day | £2.50 |
The Car Park is available year-round, not just when the site is open, thus providing a service for those wishing to enjoy the local area, walks along the towpath, visit friends moored by the canal and so forth.
All car park charges go directly to supporting the charitable work of the Kennet & Avon Trust and support our conservation and care for Crofton as a unique part of the nation’s industrial heritage.
No overnight parking is allowed and the car park is closed at 17:00 daily except when there are special evening events.
There is a height restriction of 7’ 2’’ or 2.2M and a height barrier. Therefore drivers of high vehicles for example mobile homes, minibuses, cars with cycle roofracks etc should call in advance to make arrangements for access and speak with staff on site upon departure.
On large steaming and other event days ample additional parking is available in the adjacent field, accessible via the short track to opposite the main gate. The grass surface of this parking area may not be suitable for all vehicles and use is at the driver’s discretion and risk.
Coach Parking: there is normally space for 1 x full size coach by prior arrangement for specific directions and assistance. Alternatively, for passenger drop offs, we can provide details of parking areas in the neighbouring area which again can be arranged in advance.