Kew Bridge Steam Museum (KBSM)
Kew Bridge Steam Museum (KBSM) is an early Victorian industrial site in a variety of architectural styles, having been constructed in 1838 as the Kew Bridge water pumping station for the Grand Junction Water Company. At that time, four steam driven water pumping engines were installed (two remain in situ today) to pump clean drinking water to the west part of London (Hammersmith and Fulham to Paddington). That water was initially drawn from the Thames River. Later in the nineteenth century, three more engines were added as the demand for water increased to serve the growing urban population. Two of these large, 3 storey high Cornish style beam engines were installed in their own building (one of these engines, the 90 inch Cornish giant continues to operate today on request and is thereby, the largest of its type in the world in steam). The site was subsequently operated by the Metropolitan Water Board and then by Thames Water until 1973 when the newly formed Kew Bridge Engines Trust and Water Supply Museum Ltd took over operation of the site.
