London Water and Steam Museum (Kew Bridge)

On Friday June 14, 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.  That engine was capable of pumping 235 gallons per stroke or 4.3 million gallons of water in a twenty-four hour period. Museum staff members and engineers, Danielle, Hannah, Chris, and Clythe, did a marvelous job of presenting the history, design, function, and preservation of each of the steam machines visited.  The tour this year also included the boiler room, tool and parts shop, and the Victorian (belt-driven) tool workshop.  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.  The group photo was taken between the James Kay Dancers End and Easton and Amos engines just before the lunch break.  Before leaving the Museum, the students competed in a bubble relay under very windy conditions.