This was a brilliant day out with my husband and young son. We went to the Spring rally which had loads of traction engines and other vintage vehicles to look at as well. It also had a woodturner using a foot power lathe and scroll saw, additional burger vendor and a couple of fairground organs for the day.
Aside from this the site was also very interesting by itself. Both my husband and I consider ourselves interested people and it was nice to find a place that had a good balance between treating visitors like idiots and treating them like anoraks. Also there were so many volunteers who could answer most questions put to them
The only downside to an otherwise lovely day is that the lime kilns, nature walk and industrial railway were all inaccessible for wheelchairs. This situation that the site is in means that the industrial railway which supplied chalk to the lime kilns are all quite a bit higher up than the main pumping station.
You can reach the base of one flights of steps in a wheelchair up an incline. However, there are then about a dozen (small) steps up to a plateau of about 30m long and then another 15-20 steps up to the lime kilns. The lime kilns themselves had a water pump on the level but if you wanted to see the kilns there were another 4 steps down to that area. To see where they charged the kilns is another walk along reasonably flat area (with a bench half way) of about 100m, which also takes you to where you can view the industrial railway. This is also the start of the nature trail - which is a fairly long walk by the looks of it, having not done it I can't comment fully.
Finally they have a lovely, if small, tea room which sells savoury and sweet items such as quiche, cake as well as the standard tea and coffee. They did not have many things to cater for dietary restrictions. My husband is coeliac, and noticed that there wasn't anything he would have been able to eat
Mark Read-Jones
Wow, what a little gem. This place has so much to learn; from the water hydraulic engine to the steam room. Really insightful for the family. Look out for open days and gift aid if you can. The volunteers were amazing.
Lorraine Mitchell175 days ago
Not open every day but today was a special. Lots of different steam engines looked after by interesting people who care about them. Very interesting and recommended for a low key day out. Lots to see indoors so suitable for wet weather. Nice homemade soup and cake.
Olwen175 days ago
Fascinating afternoon at the Waterworks. A lot more to see than I had imagined. Very knowledgeable volunteers. I would highly recommend visiting one of their open days.
Joe Stevens175 days ago
Went to the Steam Rally, some lovely exhibits and great to see the Waterworks running, everyone was really nice and very knowledgeable when asked questions about the workings. Great day out.
Gareth Newman298 days ago
Fantastic educational open day. So much you never see of how things work like this and the amazing work the volunteers and trust have put in to restore and maintain this waterworks. If you're slightly interested in engineering, the past, architecture, steam engines I highly recommend a visit.
Jennifer Nicholson298 days ago
An Edwardian pumping station which is still in use today, serving the people of the local area and as far out as Olivers Battery. When it first opened in 1905, the pumps and engines were steam powered and are still on site and working during the open days throughout the year. There are many volunteers dotted about the site keeping everything safe for the visitors and are also a wealth of information - just ask them! There are also lots of information boards to read, to discover the history of the water that is pumped into the homes of South West Hampshire from the Edwardian times to present day. Learn about the water's journey and what happens before it reaches your tap. There are activities for children, a nature trail and a dipping pond. The cafe is always busy, the bbq a hit and very often there are classic cars and WWII reenactors around to show a little more history. If you enjoyed the day, why not consider becoming a "Friend of the Waterworks" and taking out a membership? There are also many volunteering opportunities!
Caroline Richardson2 years ago
Fantastic open day. Really enjoyed seeing all of the old machines come to life! Great day out!
Aside from this the site was also very interesting by itself. Both my husband and I consider ourselves interested people and it was nice to find a place that had a good balance between treating visitors like idiots and treating them like anoraks. Also there were so many volunteers who could answer most questions put to them
The only downside to an otherwise lovely day is that the lime kilns, nature walk and industrial railway were all inaccessible for wheelchairs. This situation that the site is in means that the industrial railway which supplied chalk to the lime kilns are all quite a bit higher up than the main pumping station.
You can reach the base of one flights of steps in a wheelchair up an incline. However, there are then about a dozen (small) steps up to a plateau of about 30m long and then another 15-20 steps up to the lime kilns. The lime kilns themselves had a water pump on the level but if you wanted to see the kilns there were another 4 steps down to that area. To see where they charged the kilns is another walk along reasonably flat area (with a bench half way) of about 100m, which also takes you to where you can view the industrial railway. This is also the start of the nature trail - which is a fairly long walk by the looks of it, having not done it I can't comment fully.
Finally they have a lovely, if small, tea room which sells savoury and sweet items such as quiche, cake as well as the standard tea and coffee. They did not have many things to cater for dietary restrictions. My husband is coeliac, and noticed that there wasn't anything he would have been able to eat
If you're slightly interested in engineering, the past, architecture, steam engines I highly recommend a visit.
If you enjoyed the day, why not consider becoming a "Friend of the Waterworks" and taking out a membership? There are also many volunteering opportunities!