Kempton Park Steam Engines facts for kids
Kempton Park Engine No. 6
The Sir William Prescott |
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| Established | October 2004 |
|---|---|
| Owner | Kempton Great Engines Trust |
| Public transit access | Kempton Park |
The Kempton Park steam engines, also known as the Kempton Great Engines, are two huge steam engines built a long time ago, between 1926 and 1929. You can find them at the Kempton Park Waterworks in south-west London. These amazing machines were ordered by the Metropolitan Water Board and made by a company called Worthington-Simpson in Newark-On-Trent.
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What Are the Kempton Great Engines?
Each of these giant engines is similar in size to the ones used in the famous ship, RMS Titanic. They were incredibly powerful, each able to pump about 19 million gallons of water every day! This water was sent to large storage areas called reservoirs in places like Cricklewood, Fortis Green, and Finsbury Park. From there, it supplied drinking water to homes across north, east, and west London.
The water for these engines came from big reservoirs like Staines and Queen Mary Reservoirs. These reservoirs stored water collected from the River Thames. The Kempton engines were the last of their kind still working when they finally stopped in 1980.
Size and Power of the Engines
These engines are truly massive. They stand about 62 feet tall, which is like a six-story building! Each one weighs over 800 tons. Many people believe they are the biggest steam engines ever built in the United Kingdom.
One of the engines, called Engine No. 6, is also known as The Sir William Prescott. It has been carefully fixed up and can now run again! It is the largest working triple-expansion steam engine in the whole world. You can see it running on special weekends throughout the year. On other Sundays between March and November, you can see it as a static display.
The other engine, Engine No. 7, was named Bessie after Sir Prescott's wife. The engine house also has two water pumps powered by steam turbines. One of these turbines has been changed to use an electric motor, so visitors can see how it works inside.
Visiting the Museum
The Kempton Waterworks is located right next to the A316 road, which turns into the M3 motorway. It's between Sunbury-on-Thames and Hanworth.
At the same site, you can also find the Kempton Steam Railway. This railway has a smaller, 2-foot wide track and offers rides to the public on certain days. It's the biggest steam railway offering rides in London!
Today, the steam engines are part of a museum run by the Kempton Great Engines Trust. This group is a registered charity that helps keep these amazing historical machines working and open for everyone to learn from.
See also
- Metropolitan Water Board Railway
- London Museum of Water & Steam
- Metropolitan Water Board
- Crossness Engines Trust
- Kempton Park water treatment works
