Man who gave London drinkable water honored at loco naming

On Saturday 27th June Julia Elton, a leading industrial historian and past President of the Newcomen Society, will name a new Wren class steam locomotive at London’s award winning Kew Bridge Steam Museum.



The name of the locomotive, Thomas Wicksteed, honours the man who did most to bring clean drinking water to London and to other world cities. The launch will provide the opportunity to see and photograph the new locomotive in action with passenger and works trains.

Thomas Wicksteed (1806-1871) was appointed Engineer to the East London Waterworks in 1829. He introduced a programme of experiment and innovation which led in 1835 to the introduction of the Cornish high pressure engine to water supply in London. This revolutionised the supply of water to London and other major cities making continuous pumped supply feasible technically and economically. Thomas Wicksteed subsequently became a leading consulting engineer on water supply, working for five of the nine London companies and advising on water supply for many British cities, as well as overseas in Berlin, Boston, Kingston and Valparaiso. His ideas were widely adopted by other engineers; for example he was the first before Bazalgette to propose a London interceptor sewer.

The Wren Class Locomotive is 2 foot gauge contractors steam locomotive to a standard design originally by Kerr Stuart. Construction of the locomotive to be named was started in the workshops at the Kew Bridge Steam Museum and completed by the Hunslet Locomotive Co. at Statfold. It is presented as a metropolitan Water Board locomotive in their green and black operating livery, with appropriate owners and name plates.

The Kew Bridge Steam Museum is based on the old Grand Junction Waterworks Company’s pumping station on the North side of Kew bridge. Opened originally in 1837 it has provided drinking water for West London for over one hundred and seventy years, initially using steam engines and subsequently diesel and electric pumps. The site has been described by English Heritage as the most important for the history of water supply in England, and of international importance. In 1944 the Metropolitan Water Board decided that the site should become a museum station and in 1972 a group of enthusiasts formed the Kew Bridge Engines Trust and took on part of the site for public opening. Since then four of the original Cornish engines have been restored to steam, four other large engines and a water wheel have been moved to the site, and a major exhibition on London’s water supply and a passenger carrying steam railway have been created. The Museum is open every day except Monday and engines are in steam most weekends. Details are available on the Museum’s website http://www.kbsm.org

This is NOT a public event - it is being posted here for interested press / photographers information. If you wish to attend this event, please send your name, address, publication & position to the email address below.

WHEN & WHERE:
11.00, Saturday 27 June (light refreshments from 10.30)

Kew Bridge Steam Museum
Green Dragon Lane
Brentford
Middlesex
TW8 0EN

ENQUIRIES

Please contact: Elizabeth Pearcey
Mobile 07738 473547
Email E.Pearcey@gmail.com