I have known about the Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum but never had the time to visit it, Keilyn and I rectified this, on Sunday (September 1), by paying it a visit.
We were greeted at the gate by a friendly volunteer who explained about the museum, how it was run (and by whom) and what there was to see. She also informed us that the Marshall Steam Engine would be fired up at noon and again at two o'clock. With this information Keiyn and I thanked her and set off to explore the exhibits.
Of course, the first thing that Keilyn headed to was the 1967 Stock Victoria line carriage, jumping straight into the driver's cab. While Keilyn pressed buttons and pulled levers, I inspected the second of the Victoria line tube carriages.
Eventually I convinced Keilyn to come out of the train, promising that we would return to it, so that we could explore more of the museum.
We spotted an old Bedford lorry in a garage which was opposite the Fire Museum. As took a photo Keilyn went into the Fire Museum, having spotted a fire engine. I went in a different door, where I found some vintage fire appliances, tools of the trade, memorabilia and much more.
Oddly, hanging from the ceiling were two large models aeroplanes. One of a Mosquito, the other a Lancaster Bomber.
I then went into the second part of the museum, where I found Keilyn checking out an amazing collection of toy vehicles, all of which were fire related. A few of them I recognised as toys that I had played with as a child. Firemen's uniforms, from overseas, were displayed in a large cabinet, while another cabinet was filled with all types of fire extinguisher.
The largest exhibit was the fire engine, which was used in the first few seasons of the television series 'London's Burning', which was cool to see.
We then passed the 'Engine Shed', where various engines and pumps were on display, one of which was working.
Next to this was the original Victorian Pumphouse, which we entered. It was here that the pair of Marshall Steam Engines are housed, along with other engine and pump equipment. Information boards told the history of the building and the various machines that were on display.
Off to one side was the Boiler Room, on which we found an impressively large model railway. Although not to scale nor completely accurate it shows the Liverpool Street to Chingford line, with tunnels, sidings, buildings, farmland and a whole array of different engines. While Keilyn watched the trains, from behind clear perspex, I chatted with another of the volunteers about the model and how they wanted it to look when it was completed.
We then headed back in to the pumphouse and while Keilyn headed over to the activity I explored the rest of the building. Because of the area and how it was impacted, during World War II, I wasn't at all surprised when I spotted a model of a V1 Flying Bomb hanging from the ceiling.
There was a shelf that had a wide selection of books, predominantly about trains and the like, that the signs indicated could be taken home for a donation, or exchanged for another book.
As noon approached a volunteer appeared and the Marshall Steam Engine came to life. I expected lots of noise, but it was very quiet. The belt, which would have turned the other wheel wasn't attached, which would have made it louder, I suppose.
From here we headed into the refreshments building, where we purchased freshly made rolls, a cake and a drink, which we ate outside on the picnic tables. Once, we had finished we headed back to the train carriages, before checking out the shop.
In the corner of the shop was an old wooden telephone booth, with the telephone still inside. The volunteer told us that this particular phone booth had been gifted to the museum and that it had come from Park Lane. She went on to add that the man that gifted it to them had said that it was once used by Winston Churchill, but they had no evidence of this.
Outside the shop an old boiler stood beside two memorial stones.
There were also lots of different items to see, which are too numerous to list here.
It is a wonderful museum and we will definitely be returning some time in the future.
Brief History
The Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum is sited on an area of land that, during the 14th century, was a 200-acre piece of land that housed a moated manor house, called Low Hall Manor. A farm was built and gained the name Low Hall Farm.
In 1875 Walthamstow Urban District Council purchased the land from the Bosanquet family in order to build a sewage pumping station.
In 1944 a V1 Flying Bomb destroyed what was left of the medieval manor house and the 17th century buildings that had succeeded it.
In the 1970s, shortly after the Marshall Steam Engines went out of service, the idea of turning the pumping station into a museum was suggested.
In 1997 the site was excavated by the Museum of London Archaeology Service, who found a number of interesting artefacts, with the museum opening the same year.
The Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum is registered charity and came about when a group of enthusiasts came together to restore the Marshall steam engines.
The Victorian pumping station is Grade II listed as are the Marshall steam engines.
The museum is completely free to enter, relying on donations and volunteers to keep it running, and is open every Sunday from 10:30-16:00.
To make extra money the Victoria line carriages are hired out to film crews. Plus, they also have dining experiences, every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, that take place within the carriages themselves.
For more photographs of the museum, click the link below.
The link below will take you to the museum's website.
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