London Water and Steam Museum (Kew Bridge)

On Saturday June 18, the EIL students along with Profs. Aaron and Berry visited the London Museum of Water and Steam (formerly Kew Bridge Steam Museum) at Kew Bridge. They witnessed the startup of the three-story Bull Engine (named for Cornish engineer Edward Bull) that began pumping in 1859.  The Museum's Chief Engineer, Richard, did a marvelous job of presenting the history of each of the steam machines visited and the group photo was taken with him in front of the Waddon (the UK's last working steam water pumping engine that was retired in 1983).  The tour this year also included the boiler room, tool and parts shop, and the Victorian tool and blacksmith workshops.  The students were also shown the 90-inch Grand Junction Engine (the largest working beam engine in the world) and the Boulton and Watt engine (built in 1820) that was moved to Kew Bridge from the Grand Junction Waterworks Company's Chelsea works in 1840.  Before leaving the Museum, the students competed in an untouchable bubble relay.