Safe to Cross? Testing London’s Bridges

How did Victorian engineers make sure that London's bridges were safe to cross? See the original (startlingly loud!) metal testing machine in its full working glory for one day only!

When we cross the Thames on London’s iconic bridges we take it for granted we’ll get to the other side – but how did those clever Victorian engineers make sure they were safe to cross? Amazingly, a few paces south of the Thames Path, behind Tate Modern, the original machine where the ground-breaking testing of metals was done still survives – and you can see it working during Totally Thames. Take a step back in time to the Victorian era in this unique museum that houses the largely still-intact workshop of world pioneering engineer, David Kirkaldy.

See and hear lumps of metal being pulled to destruction (very suspenseful and surprising loud!) during this special open day at The Kirkaldy Testing & Experimenting Works: a rare chance to get a fascinating insight into Kirkaldy’s genius and the pioneering times he lived in.