Abbey Pumping Station

Find out about the history of Leicester’s sewage at The Abbey Pumping Station. Check out the website for special events and days when the beam engine is fired up and running.  No-one can resist flushing the plastic poo through the sewage system.

There are a number of attractions located around or near the Pumping Station.

Abbey Park

Abbey Park is right next door to the Pumping Station. Run off that excess energy or have your picnic lunch on the grass. Maybe visit Pet’s Corner or feed the ducks. There is even a small miniature railway – charges may apply.

There are sometimes special events on the park so head to the website for more details.

Great Central Railway

The “Leicester North” station of the Great Central Railway is only a mile away from the Pumping Station.

To check train times click on this link.

The National Space Centre

The Space Centre is only round the corner from the Pumping Station.

Their website will give you the latest information on opening times and prices.

 

Make your own Sewage

Make sewage soup and clean it up, or maybe just have a go at making “poo” and “wee”.

What you need:

*           1 set of the following: One set for each group (approximately 6 girls per group)

*           1 large clear container/tank half full with tap water

*           1 piece of poo*

*           1 cotton bud

*           4 pieces of toilet paper

*           1 plastic goldfish

*           100ml of wee*

*           Small squirt of oil

*           Shake of salt

*           Small handful of soil (compost)

*           1 Crisp packet

*           Short length of dental floss

*           Handful of cereal*

*           False teeth

 *          Small squeeze of toothpaste

*           1 wet wipe

*           Sprinkling of soap powder

*           Squirt of washing up liquid

*           Squirt of shower gel

*           A couple of leaves

*           Plastic tray to save spillage whilst group treats ‘sewage’

*           1 litre jug

*           2 plastic cups

*           Clear plastic bottle

*           Plastic beaker

*           Fine sieve

*           Filter paper

*           Colander

*           Funnel

 

*Instructions to create ‘poo’ and ‘wee’.

Make the ‘poo’ by mixing Weetabix with gravy granules and a small amount of water (some sweetcorn can be added if desired). Shape into rough cylinder shapes and wrap loosely in the toilet paper.

Make the ‘wee’ by squeezing a used tea bag into tap water to the desired colour.

Setting up: Place all your ingredients in a big box at the side of the room, and ask participants what they think we might find in sewage, pull out the items you have as they are called, one ingredient at a time, ask the girls to help you add each to the container/tank of tap water, mixing well after each new ingredient is added. Look at and discuss what happens to each ingredient. Does it dissolve, disperse, melt, sink, float…? The liquid in the tank at the end of the activity is your sewage.

Cleaning the sewage soup

All cleaning activity should be done over the trays to collect any spilt liquids and prevent mess. A girl from each group collects some sewage from the Leader using their one litre jug. This is taken back to the group. Group members decide for themselves how to clean their sewage using the remaining items of equipment. Final clean effluent should be put into a clear plastic bottle for comparison. It is expected that the girls will use the colander, sieve and filter paper in order, straining their sewage to remove solids and using the beaker and plastic cups to collect the partially treated sewage between stages.