Help save the London Steam Museum

Have you ever been to the London Water and Steam Museum?  It is just this side of Kew Bridge – and you can’t miss that mighty tower.

Even if you have zero interest in steam engines you cannot but be charmed by its massive, polished and purring engines – the 90 Inch and the 100 Inch beam engines! Built in the mid 1800s they stand three stories high and between them they were powerful enough to supply water to houses in Notting Hill Gate nearly 6 miles away and to the upper floors of the buildings they supplied. The 100 Inch engine remained on standby until 1954 and the 90 Inch is one of the largest working beam engines of its type in the world!

Many years ago we had a FreeFrom Food Awards party in the museum and despite the difficulties of getting there at rush on  Friday, everyone was totally charmed by its gentle purring when the 90 Inch was eased into life for us.

It provided the perfect back drop for handing out awards for all those new and exciting gluten free and dairy free winning products!

But now the museum is in trouble…..

A funding and maintenance backlog has led to severe degradation of the 100 Inch and 90 Inch engines, and the Grade 1 listed Great Engine House. Covid lockdowns have accelerated the damage, due to a lack of people available to maintain the site coupled with little ventilation while closed, and the need for expensive scaffolding that they haven’t been able to afford.

A recent site survey identified the Engine House as the priority building and a costed, full building condition survey shows a leaking roof structure, dry rot, blown and spalling render, corroded window frames and cracked glass, collapsed storm drains, loose plaster and paint finishes, and both engines are actively corroding and contain encapsulated asbestos lagging. Unless work is undertaken in the next two years to stop this decay these historically significant machines could be lost, and central parts of the museum building will be closed off.

They are at an advanced stage of receiving a funding grant for the entire project of £2.8 million, however, they need to raise a percentage of the grant through crowdfunding – and they need £50,000 by mid-August……..

Any little donation will help – or just go and visit the museum.  Your entry fee will also help and you will then get a chance to fall in love with the engines too….

Go here to the museum’s Crowdfunder page – go here to the museum’s site.