A museum has landed almost £60,000 to help bring to life a new project.

The Museum of Power, based at the Langford Water Pumping Station in Maldon Road, will use the funding from the Heritage Lottery fund to launch its Powering Forward programme.

It aims to show how technology and engineering has come to shape the modern world.

The museum received £57,900 in development funding which will allow the museum to improve the exhibition and encourage families with children of all ages to visit.

Presentations will also be created so that if groups are unable to attend, the museum will be able to visit them.

Dick Waylen, chairman of the Museum of Power, said: “The museum is delighted to have received this support thanks to National Lottery players.

“In December 2017 we celebrated our 20th anniversary of being open to the public and this initial support will enable us to progress and look forward to a future as a sustainable museum and a respected regional learning and community centre.”

The museum hopes the funding will be the beginning of its plans for improvement works which will see a brand new visitor entrance with improved toilets, a shop and reception created.

The works would provide a major update for the station, which was built in the late 1920s.

Before its closure in 1963, the station was home to three huge Lilleshall steam pumping engines.

Later, two of the engines were scrapped, however, the third remained.

The engine was returned to steam by the hard work of volunteers in April 2011.

More than 60 volunteers work at the museum.

The museum is part of the Essex and Suffolk Water’s portfolio of buildings which “support the preservation of industrial heritage”.

In Autumn 2019, the museum also plans to apply for £890,700 in National Lottery funding.

The improvement works will help lead visitors to the engine, named Marshall, which is the prime exhibit at the Museum of Power.

The initial phase of the Powering Forward project is set to begin in the next month.

The museum’s spokesman added: “The development phase will begin within a month and is intended to be completed in around 12 months.

“We will appoint an architect and museum display designers and consult with members of the public on building and exhibition ideas.

“If our second round funding bid is successful, the delivery phase is expected to be completed by mid-2021.”