Who we are
Kempton Steam Museum is an independent museum in London governed by the Kempton Great Engines Trust. The trust, a registered Charity, was formed in 1995 with the aim to preserve the historic steam pumping engines at Kempton Park Pumping Station and make them accessible to the public. All restoration work and the running of the museum is undertaken entirely by a team of volunteers. Our activities have been made possible through Thames Water giving us access under a 99 year lease. The Trust is a registered Charity (No. 1048936), and the museum building a Scheduled Monument (No. 153).
What we do
Restoration and day-to-day operation of the museum is undertaken by volunteers. Since 1995, volunteers have successfully returned the ‘Sir William Prescott’ triple-expansion engine to steam and showcase it to the public on several steaming weekends per year.
Recent achievements include the motorisation of one of our two steam turbines to demonstrate the inner mechanisms. Working parties continue to perform restoration projects to ensure the museum’s unique collection is safe for future generations to enjoy.
The museum is open from March to November offering special events throughout the year.
Our vision
To be the “must visit” international destination celebrating Britain’s industrial heritage and highlighting the importance of conserving and sustaining clean water supplies now and for the future.
Our mission
• To tell the story of the Kempton Park site and its vital role in providing clean, safe water to large areas of London continuously for over 100 years, and
• To provide a unique opportunity to view working examples of the pinnacle of traditional steam engine development and the transition to turbine technology
Museum expansion project
The Kempton Great Engines Trust is currently embarking on an ambitious project to significantly expand the museum into the old boiler house. Follow this link to learn more about the project Museum Expansion Project.
People
Members of the Kempton Great Engines Trust:
John Anderson
Trust Chairman
John has lived in Twickenham for 26 years and is a former Department of Health civil servant who worked in a number of policy roles and subsequently a number of years at Ealing Council. John has a long association with the heritage and voluntary sector in London Borough of Richmond. He was Chair of the Environment Trust where he revived work on the built heritage and lately merging it to form Habitats & Heritage. He is currently Chair of Healthwatch Richmond.
John grew up close to the east coast mainline at the end of the steam era and often visited the Dundee engine sheds. Visiting the museum for the first time, John immediately fell for the great engines, the mix of other technologies and the social story. When the chance came to join the museum as a trustee he jumped at it.
Always hands-on, John wants to help ensure the museum thrives over the next years and becomes an integral part of the cultural scene in Hounslow.
Valerie Mills
Company Secretary
Until she retired in early 2023, Valerie was Director of Amberley Museum in West Sussex. An open-air industrial and heritage museum in former chalk pits, collections include a narrow-gauge railway, Southdown buses, radio, telecommunications and electricity with many working exhibits. Before Amberley she was Commercial Director at Brooklands Museum and was part of the team that delivered the Brooklands Aircraft Factory Project, which moved a listed WW2 hangar and redisplayed much of the aviation collection to tell the story of the almost 19,000 aircraft built at Brooklands. Having always been interested in industrial archaeology, she was delighted to become Company Secretary and a Trustee at Kempton in February 2024.
David Lawrie
Trustee
David grew up in North Staffordshire, amongst the coal mines, iron foundries, potteries and textile mills that defined the area, and developed a keen interest in industrial archaeology.
He moved to Twickenham in 1971 and taught at Cardinal Wiseman School in Ealing for over 35 years. In 2005 David was awarded an Honorary Fellowship at the University of West London for his work in promoting vocational education.
David’s interest in local history prompted him to volunteer as a researcher and oral historian for the Environment Trust initiative – Jam Yesterday, Jam Tomorrow.
Susan Webb
Trustee
Susan studied Law and has worked as a Barrister.
Susan was the Mayor of Spelthorne.
Martin Wicks
Trustee, Trust Treasurer & Chair of Operations
Martin studied physics at university and spent his career at the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington, where he worked on numerous projects including research into fibre optic transmission.
Martin sits on the British Standards Institute’s committee for fibre optic communications and is the former chair of the NPL Sports & Leisure Club. Martin has been a volunteer at Kempton Steam Museum since 2016 and is involved in most aspects of the museum’s operation. He is currently the Chair of Operations and serves as the Caretaker Treasurer
Jerry Scholefield
Trustee & Chief Engineer
Jerry has volunteered at Kempton Steam Museum since 2008. He is Chief Engineer and oversees all the mechanical work undertaken to the engines and ancillary equipment.
In his role, Jerry manages the Thursday team of volunteers, setting the engine operation rotas and organising the engineering works required during the winter and summer breaks.
Stephen Fielding
Trustee
Stephen has volunteered at Kempton since 2008 and is actively involved with restoration projects, organising events, guided tours and engine operation. Stephen is the former Chair of the Kempton Great Engines Society and currently manages the marketing, including the website and social media pages.
He has a life long passion for steam engines, engineering and history, having studied electrical & mechanical engineering at college and modern history at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Stephen’s day job is Heritage Projects Manager for Habitats & Heritage in Twickenham.
Richard Albanese
Trustee
Richard has joined via the London Museum of Water & Steam, where he has been both volunteer and employee for over 40 years. With interests in maritime, industrial, social history and archaeology he has employment experience of conservation, maintenance and operation of heritage machinery, engines and related structures within museum, marine and private settings. As a curator and designer he has developed exhibitions and interactive exhibits for museums and science centres to engage, inform and enthuse a wide range of visitors, which he passionately believes is essential for allowing our industrial and maritime heritage to survive and prosper.
Felix Charteris
Trustee