Many Victorian waterworks had their own railway and at the Museum this is demonstrated by a short line featuring the steam locomotive Cloister, which is owned by the Hampshire Narrow Gauge Railway Trust.

 

The museum's railway is inspired by the Hampton to Kempton Park coal railway built and operated by the Metropolitan Water Board between 1916 and 1946. Coal was delivered by barge to the MWB wharf on the river Thames at Hampton and moved by three steam locomotives to the boilerhouses of the Hampton and Kempton Park waterworks.

 

The engines were built by the Kerr Stuart Locomotive Company and were named "Hampton", "Kempton" and "Sunbury". None of the engines have survived, but Kew Bridge Steam Museum has one locomotive headlamp and shunter's lantern in its collections. Some of the trackwork is now incorporated in the museum's demonstration line. We also have an extensive photo collection of the lines at Hampton and Kempton Park.