London Museum of Steam and Water

[Carl Wilson]

Whilst I was travelling home from working in the med last week I had a 5 hour lay over in Heathrow. I decided to use this time to visit a museum.

I chose the London Museum of Steam and Water. This is the old Kew Bridge pumping station located near Kew Bridge in Brentford, not far from Chiswick.

As far as I remember, this place was called the Kew Bridge Steam Museum back in the 90's. There was also an annual Meccano exhibition there too if memory serves.

The museum houses several fine steam engines taken from various sites, aswell as the two huge beam engines that formed the original pumping gear.

Here are a few random pictures. There is also a small narrow gauge railway here, but unfortunately my phone battery went before I was able to take any photos.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Must take the boys there. Will be a good one for them. Both nuts on steam.

 

[Parm]

Excellent place, I was born in Chiswick and grew up not far from there, been there many many times, but not for a long time though

 

[Carl Wilson]

It was great and I just wished I'd had more time. They run the engines on steam too, including the huge beam engines. They had a workshop section which, had I had more time, I'd have asked if I could have looked at it.

 

[jerrytug]

Great piccies thanks.. I was a regular visitor when I lived in Brentford, which was then full of industrial relics, disused factories and even a old boatbuilding yard, on an island..all flats today I guess.

 

[ronan]

There are a few good places in London if you are interested in engineering, i have been looking online as i intend to head over for a look at a few of them. The Kempton park engines, which are currently being used in an advert with Tony Robinson. HMS Belfast, the Brunel Museum in Rotherhyde, Tower Bridge has their old engines open to the public and looks very good. Any others ?

 

[Carl Wilson]

I often have time on my hands when waiting around for flights, so I've decided to use it to visit places like this.

 

[clift_d]

Also Markfield Park beam engine nr Tottenham which they generally run on bank holidays

 

[dobbslc]

Been to Kew a few years ago and its a great place!

 

[jerrytug]

Crossness Pumping Station @ronan

 

[frank horton]

almost as good as sex........hahaha......

last picture, just love the floor......

 

[optima21]

got to say there is something very theraputic about watch ing a steam engine working and listen to the sounds and clatter of its moving parts.....my favorite has to be the corliss valve gear on this engine

 

[123hotchef]

View attachment 183340 View attachment 183339 Crossness Pumping Station @ronan

I keep meaning to go there

 

[jerrytug]

I keep meaning to go there

Look out for Open Days, with extra attractions and access all areas!

 

[123hotchef]

defiantly some days they run the engines up too call them steam days

 

[fizzy]

Wonderful place - I have never been but will have to go.
Sadly many modern museums are turning into art galleries with all the interesting stuff removed!
Greenwich maritime museum is a case in point. Hardly any boats - all the WW2 stuff gone. The luvvies have won

 

[ronan]

Wonderful place - I have never been but will have to go.
Sadly many modern museums are turning into art galleries with all the interesting stuff removed!
Greenwich maritime museum is a case in point. Hardly any boats - all the WW2 stuff gone. The luvvies have won

I heard about a lad going to the national motorcycle museum in Birmingham, on his old British bike. He had just finished locking it up outside, when some jobsworth spanner appeared and told him he could not leave the bike there as it was leaking oil. God help us.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Sadly many modern museums are turning into art galleries with all the interesting stuff removed!

My current project. An Arbour press was rescued from Milton Keynes museum.
They displayed it a few years ago.
How they got it ready for display.
Lashed paint over the rust so it looks good from a distance.
Wasn't impressed when I started removing paint.

Buckingham railway is worth a visit too.
Got to have a good poke around there current projects last time I visited.

 

[Seadog]

I took a load of photos there, last year. Not sure I ever got round to posting though. I talked my way into both of their workshops, too.

 

[Carl Wilson]

What were the workshops like?