As the only surviving piece of equipment from the Manchester hydraulic power system, the Galloways Hydraulic Pumping Engine is a key piece in interpreting the story of hydraulic power in Manchester. In 1891, Manchester Corporation built a public network to distribute hydraulic power to the industrial city – a forerunner of today’s national grid system. The Galloways Engine pumped water under extremely high pressure through this underground pipe network.

In 2001, the University of Salford offered the engine to the Museum of Science and Industry. Given that the engine was manufactured and operational in Manchester, the museum felt that it would complement its existing collection of heavy engineering and hydraulic power exhibits. 

The engine was dismantled from its previous location, restored to full working order and then re-erected in the museum’s Power Hall. The project also:

• painted the engine white, to reflect its original working condition
• repaired or replaced the engine's operating elements (including bearings and valves)

The museum regularly shows the engine in motion during public demonstrations, and has created a new permanent display on hydraulic power.