Work starts on £2.3 million Investment in Kew Bridge Steam Museum

Project Aquarius is full steam ahead!

On 9 July Kew Bridge Steam Museum received formal consent from the Heritage Lottery Fund to the start of work on the full implementation of Project Aquarius. This will allow the Kew Bridge Engines Trust to carry out a total new investment of £2.45 million (including volunteer time) in the Kew Bridge Steam Museum in Brentford

Project Aquarius will deliver major community outreach, volunteer development and education programmes building on work already being done by the Museum, together with completion of repairs to the grade I and II listed buildings, significantly improved visitor facilities and family attractions, major new displays, and complete reinterpretation of the Museum. The aim of the Project is to deliver a sustainable future for the Museum.

The Trust’s consultants Dannatt Johnson Architects and Haley Sharpe Design have now started work on the detailed planning necessary before construction contracts can be let. They currently expect construction work to start at the Museum in April 2013 and to run for six months. The Museum will operate normally at least until the end of this year and will stay open both for visitors and as a venue during the construction period, though opening is likely to be limited mainly to the weekends and bank holidays. 
The Museum still has to raise some match funds but is very grateful to Thames Water Utilities Ltd., our major development partners, who have supported the project since its inception, and to The London Borough of Hounslow, the Garfield Weston Foundation, and the Charles Hayward Foundation, who between them have contributed a large proportion of the funding required to match the very generous grant offered by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

How to find KBSM: Kew Bridge Steam Museum is situated in Green Dragon Lane, about 200 yards from the north side of Kew Bridge and under the tall Victorian Tower. The nearest motorway is the M4 (Junction 2 signposted to Kew Gardens and North/South Circular roads, then pick up signs for Kew, Brentford and Hounslow). The museum car park has space for 40 cars or 4 coaches. 
N.B. we are outside the Congestion Charge Zone!

Public Transport: Buses: 65, 237, 267, 391.
Main Line Train: Kew Bridge (South West Trains from Waterloo) Gunnersbury (North London Line) then 237 or 267 bus.
London Underground: Gunnersbury (District Line) then 237 or 267 bus. South Ealing (Piccadilly Line) then 65 bus.

Admission: Adults £10. Concessions £9. Children (5 – 15) £4.

All tickets are valid for a period of 12 months and allow multiple visits at no extra cost. Proof of age may be required for children.

September 3, 2012