It is hard to believe that the steam engine was first invented in the early 1700's and for over 70 years it could not be envisaged as being useful for anything other than pumping water. It was James Watt at the height of the Industrial Revolution who realised that if he could invent a rotative engine it could be put to an enormous number of uses. The new rotative engine that emerged was in great demand with Watt having a virtual monopoly of the market for many years, whilst his patents lasted.

There were one or two challenges to Watt's monopoly, one being by Adam Heslop, who in 1795 patented a 2 cylinder beam engine. Watt did take Heslop to court over an infringement of his patent.

Progress in the twenty years from the late 1790's, saw cast iron replacing timber.

The workshops at the works contained iron and brass foundries, a boliersmiths' shop and a blacksmiths. A coal fired boiler provided the steam to drive the beam engine which powered the machine tools for making castings.

The engine in the museum is the same engine used by Timothy Hackworth and his workforce and is in perfect working order, as is demonstrated during open days at the museum.