Kew Bridge Steam Museum, London

Museum
The Kew Bridge Steam Museum dubs itself ‘London’s Museum of Water Supply’. It is housed in the historic premises of the former Grand Junction Water Works Company. Several of the Company’s beam pumping engines are in their original positions. As the number of engines was increased over the years to meet demand, the engines are diverse, rather than being a matched set, as at, e.g. Crossness. The Museum also houses several collected steam pumping engines from elsewhere, and one original and several collected diesel pump engines.
The 90 inch and 100 inch engines (original) are so big that the visitor is obliged to stand inside the engine mechanism rather than beside it.
The tower is not a chimney, but contains a pressure-balancing water standpipe.
Most of the engines are in working order, and a selection of them can be seen running on ‘steam’ weekends. It’s worth going on a weekend when the engines are being run in turn, if you can. I spent over four hours at the site on my visit.
If you are interested in steam power and industrial archaeology this is well worth a visit.
The Museum is a few minutes’ walk from Kew Bridge railway station. On-site parking is limited.