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The world's largest working triple-expansion engine.
The steam is used 3 times, High, Intermediate & Low pressure cylinders (200/100/40 psi), with increasingly large bore cylinders to accomodate the larger volume of lower pressure steam (largest is 86" diameter).
The engine room is 99' 6" high, with the top of the engines around 70'. The walls are 2nd grade glazed bricks, not tiles. (Apparently the toliets are 1st grade!).
Decommisioned in the 1980's, only one of the two triple-expansion engines are in working order, the second is being worked on.
The Steam turbines cannot be run as they require superheated (dry) steam and the currentl boiler will only provide wet steam.
After the building closed in 1980, English Heritage declared it a National Monument and, along with its contents, was listed Grade II*. In 1995, the Kempton Great Engines Trust was formed with the aim of restoring and maintaining this magnificent piece of steam heritage for posterity.
The next 'running' weekend is the 26th / 27th September with the added bonus of a classic car show on the 27th.
My 11 yr old and I had the site to ourselves (baring the volunteers) even though today was a miserable wet day during the school holidays - if you like large scale engineering, it's well worth a visit, you'll most likely get a personal guided tour from one of the knowledgeable volunteers.
And onto my shots of the the engine taken today...
Kempton Steam Museum - Triple Expansion Engine by Tim White, on Flickr
Kempton Steam Museum - Triple Expansion Engine by Tim White, on Flickr
Kempton Steam Museum - Steam Turbine by Tim White, on Flickr
Kempton Steam Museum - Pressure Gauges, Valve Settings and Pipe Map by Tim White, on Flickr
Kempton Steam Museum by Tim White, on Flickr
The steam is used 3 times, High, Intermediate & Low pressure cylinders (200/100/40 psi), with increasingly large bore cylinders to accomodate the larger volume of lower pressure steam (largest is 86" diameter).
The engine room is 99' 6" high, with the top of the engines around 70'. The walls are 2nd grade glazed bricks, not tiles. (Apparently the toliets are 1st grade!).
Decommisioned in the 1980's, only one of the two triple-expansion engines are in working order, the second is being worked on.
The Steam turbines cannot be run as they require superheated (dry) steam and the currentl boiler will only provide wet steam.
After the building closed in 1980, English Heritage declared it a National Monument and, along with its contents, was listed Grade II*. In 1995, the Kempton Great Engines Trust was formed with the aim of restoring and maintaining this magnificent piece of steam heritage for posterity.
The next 'running' weekend is the 26th / 27th September with the added bonus of a classic car show on the 27th.
My 11 yr old and I had the site to ourselves (baring the volunteers) even though today was a miserable wet day during the school holidays - if you like large scale engineering, it's well worth a visit, you'll most likely get a personal guided tour from one of the knowledgeable volunteers.
And onto my shots of the the engine taken today...
Kempton Steam Museum - Triple Expansion Engine by Tim White, on Flickr
Kempton Steam Museum - Triple Expansion Engine by Tim White, on Flickr
Kempton Steam Museum - Steam Turbine by Tim White, on Flickr
Kempton Steam Museum - Pressure Gauges, Valve Settings and Pipe Map by Tim White, on Flickr
Kempton Steam Museum by Tim White, on Flickr