Industrial, maritime and transport

Industrial, maritime and transport

Three people stand inside a factory casting a large bell. Molten metal pours from a container held in the air by a hoist
Casting a bell at Taylor's Bellfoundry. Photo: Katelyn Collins.
Celebrating the innovative buildings, transport and technology that helped shape the modern world.

Since 1994 we have awarded £630million to 1,600 industrial, maritime and transport projects across the UK.

We want to help more people conserve their local industrial heritage and pass on skills to younger generations. 

What do we support?

Projects we fund include:

  • printing presses
  • pumping engines
  • windmills
  • historic ships
  • locomotives
  • natural landscapes transformed by industry

Project ideas

Our funding could help people:

  • uncover and record people’s memories of our industrial past
  • give a disused site a new purpose
  • restore and maintain operating machinery
  • reveal the history of industry in your area
  • explore the nation's network of canals
  • provide staffed visitor facilities and learning resources
  • help young people learn new skills and care for their heritage

See the stories and projects below for more inspiration. 

How to get funding

If you have an idea for a project, we would love to hear from you.

The boat lift in operation
The boat lift in operation

Projects

Anderton Boat Lift Restoration

The Anderton Boat Lift has been brought back to life, with modern systems that respect its historic structure and significance.

Line drawing of a tree

Projects

Gosport Milestones Heritage Trail

The history and natural heritage of Gosport was captured in this trail, connecting the local community to its surrounding environment.

Young people kayaking

Projects

The Right Track

The Right Track allowed young people to come together in a range of exciting outdoor activities whilst exploring the importance of railway and mining heritage in the North East.

Canal boats on Kennet and Avon canal
Canal boats on Kennet and Avon canal

Projects

Kennet and Avon Canal

The Kennet and Avon canal benefited from one of our biggest grants - £25million - to restore and protect the 200-year-old waterway.

Clay statues at Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum
Clay statues at Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum

Projects

Regeneration and resilience at Cornwall's china clay mining museum

Wheal Martyn is home to the UK’s only china clay mining museum. A fully accredited museum, Wheal Martyn cares for and presents a collection of industry-related objects, machinery, photographs and archives.

Engine houses, Wheal Peevor tin mine, Redruth
Engine houses, Wheal Peevor tin mine, Redruth

Projects

Wheal Peevor Project

This project allowed essential heritage restoration works to be carried out in Wheal Peevor, a key element of the Cornish Mining UNESCO World Heritage site.

Lumber Jills at work in a forest during the Second World War

Projects

The story of the North East's Lumber Jills

During the Second World War thousands of women joined the Women's Land Army to help the war effort and replace men who had joined the armed forces. This 18-month project enabled local people to discover one part of this story near Newcastle.

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