London UK visit

[kvom]

I just returned from a trip that included 4 nights in London. 

One morning I visited the Kew pumping station museum, where a fair number of stationary engines are displayed.  Unfortunately the staff on duty know almost nothing about steam engines, as the experts come on certain days when the engines can run.  Their boiler recently failed inspection, so no steaming until that is resolved.  There are two enormous beam engines in the pumping hall.  Their cylinder diameters are 90 and 100".  I calculate the 100" piston at 40 psi would see 157 tons of force!  One can climb the steps to the top of the engines to see the cylinder heads and beams up close.

On another morning I had an appointment at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers to look at the Cherry Hill models.  The displays are not very good as each model has its own glass case and then 11 of these are in two large cases, also glassed.  In one of these the lights weren't working.  I have the picture book on these engines, but seeing them up close was still impressive.  There are 13 engines in total there.

After London, I was in Paris and visited the Museum of Arts and Metiers.  A good number of engines and models are here.  One thing I noticed on several compound engines is that the conrods of both cylinders were attached to the same crank pin, something I've not see before.  I highly recommend this museum to anyone interested in the origins and development of multiple technologies.

[AdeV]

One morning I visited the Kew pumping station museum, where a fair number of stationary engines are displayed.  Unfortunately the staff on duty know almost nothing about steam engines, as the experts come on certain days when the engines can run.  Their boiler recently failed inspection, so no steaming until that is resolved.  There are two enormous beam engines in the pumping hall.  Their cylinder diameters are 90 and 100".  I calculate the 100" piston at 40 psi would see 157 tons of force!  One can climb the steps to the top of the engines to see the cylinder heads and beams up close.

I really must get over to Kew one day, especially since I now work for a London based company & am there reasonably regularly. I'd love to see those engines - I believe they were water pumping engines, and used to supply significant amounts of the city with water, back in the day.

There's another great museum way over in Thamesmead (out past Canary Wharf, south of the river), the Crossness Pumping Station: An old Victorian sewerage pumping station - but done in typical Victorian style, i.e. bloody enormous and eye-wateringly beautiful. All for pumping poo!  I need to go visit that one day as well...

[SteamR]

I just returned from a trip that included 4 nights in London. 

One morning I visited the Kew pumping station museum, where a fair number of stationary engines are displayed.  Unfortunately the staff on duty know almost nothing about steam engines, as the experts come on certain days when the engines can run.  Their boiler recently failed inspection, so no steaming until that is resolved.  There are two enormous beam engines in the pumping hall.  Their cylinder diameters are 90 and 100".  I calculate the 100" piston at 40 psi would see 157 tons of force!  One can climb the steps to the top of the engines to see the cylinder heads and beams up close.

On another morning I had an appointment at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers to look at the Cherry Hill models.  The displays are not very good as each model has its own glass case and then 11 of these are in two large cases, also glassed.  In one of these the lights weren't working.  I have the picture book on these engines, but seeing them up close was still impressive.  There are 13 engines in total there.

Hello kvom,
It seems that more than one people had the idea for a steam tour to England .
I was last week for my steam and technical tour there.

The Kew Bridge Museum (now named Water & Steam museum) I visited last Friday, so may be we nearly met together.

But the highlight of the last weekend in the London area was the steaming day in the Kempton Steam Museum. The Kempton station is a former water pumping station. At the steaming day they operate one of two steam engines. They own the largest triple expansion compound engines existing in the world. The sizes of these engines are around 20m height. They are of the size of the Titanic ship engines.
Here is a YouTube movie from a past steaming day: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhlJp1VZMB8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhlJp1VZMB8</a>
The location of Kempton is near the Heathrow airport
Kempton is simply overwhelming.

During my stay I visited in addition sites around Birmingham, like the Claymills pumping station:http://www.claymills.org.uk/

I hope you had that much fun than I had during my stay.

The Cherry Hill models I missed up to now. The must be very impressive, I admire her work.

Richard

[crueby]

I'm jealous!  The one time I got over to the London area I didn't make it to those museums, really need to get back there!

[Charles Lamont]

Any London visit should also include the Science Museum.

[Admiral_dk]

Any London visit should also include the Science Museum.

AMEN to that ...!!!
... and there are important steam Engines there too + a big collection of Model Steam Engines, Locomotives etc.

Per