Forum Topic

Kew Bridge Steam Museum

I'm a bit late to the party as usual, but have just got wind of the news that the KBSM is henceforth to be known as the exciting London Museum of Water and Steam, which no doubt someone from a smartypants brand agency has persuaded them will get the punters breaking down the doors.

Mike Paterson ● 4346d21 Comments

...maybe ...?

Sarah Felstead ● 4319d

Brentford Market, famous for it's use as a location for the Sweeney and several other TV series and a few films was where the Brentford Fountain centre is.On the pre and post war ordnance survey maps Brentford is clearly butted up to Gunnersbury and Chiswick.Kew is most definitely in Surrey with a very clear divisor. River Thames.Kew Pumping station is named after Kew Reach which I understand, is the curve protrusion of the south bank of the river and where the water was drawn.

Raymond Havelock ● 4322d

Well said, Rebecca.

Anne England ● 4323d

I cannot wait to see the results of the refit. I do not mind the new name - it actually fits the nature of the exhibitions there much better. It is too easy to criticise - how a bit of encouragement? And no I do not work there. I am not a volunteer or trustee or anything like that either.

Rebecca Thorp ● 4323d

It does.Let's get a golf course in Brentford - Brentford Buggy would work.

Ian Silver ● 4324d

I think there was a Brentford Dock station.If one station is to be Brentford Brilliant then the other must surely be Brentford Well Buggy (see previous threads if that doesn't make sense to you!)

Guy Lambert ● 4324d

Pretty sure that the main station was known as Brentford Central at least until the early/mid/late seventies whereas there was another station off the Great West Rd around the Transport Ave area, possibly at the rear of what was Firestones & was known as 'Brentford Goods Depot?'

Kevin Farnan ● 4324d

Brentford Central is my favourite

Ian Silver ● 4324d

Perhaps Brentford Brilliant Station.The old station could be Brentford Central, or Brentford Ordinary, or Brentford Mediocre. But then the debate about which end of Brentford is most Brilliant

Ian Silver ● 4324d

Obviously Kew Bridge station has to be renamed.

Sarah Felstead ● 4324d

I can understand them not mentioning Brentford because Brentford is Brilliant and needs no mentions

Ian Silver ● 4324d

Must admit that whilst I don't like the new name of the steam museum I don't have a problem with any reference to Brentford still being omitted.  It's much closer to Kew Bridge than it is to the centre of Brentford, or Brentford station, so it makes sense to describe it as being close to Kew Bridge (not Kew though !).Regardless of postcodes, I regard anything east of the Wells store/O'Riordans as Kew Bridge, and anything west as Brentford.

Adam Beamish ● 4324d

Listening to a guy (Ed Fagan) talking about what is now 'The London Water & Steam Museum' on Robert Elms's BBC London programme this afternoon. When asked by Robert where it was he said it was in Kew & that it is South of the river? When myself & others texted/phoned in to tell him that it was actually North of the river & in Brentford it was corrected on air to being North but no mention by him to the Brentford reference! Obviously we are too downmarket to have something associated to us which has been in Brentford for over 150years. But I suppose it is next to The new Kew West development in TW8!

Kevin Farnan ● 4324d

Perhaps they should just call it..."Brentford's Brilliant Steam Museum"

Ian Silver ● 4329d

Have to say the new signage sits rather uncomfortably with the character of the victorian architecture. It's far too modern.It also looks too much like Thames Water's current corporate image and currently Thames water are not the most popular of organisations especially when compared to their heritage.The London thing is a poor choice.Can't see Kew Gardens changing to the London Botanical Gardens...yet!Kew may be in Surrey but the name is known worldwide.Maybe the real problem lay with marketing, not the name.

Anthony Waller ● 4329d

Ed, as the person who kicked this off, I thank you for your detailed response. An occasional and fairly recent rather than frequent visitor, I have always thought that KBSM was a terrific museum, well-run, friendly. A pound or two on the pricy side for a suburban museum, but the 12 month ticket policy was most enlightened and one that other London museums and galleries would do well to follow. So a lot of positive things to work with. Problems include: not easy to get to. Lottery funding cannot solve this, you just have to take that on the chin. Poor marketing. A clunky old web site, but you don't need lottery funding to fix that, and it has been fixed. Tick. And you have no doubt done myriad other good things which I look forward to seeing.  But the name thing. Charlatans and fools think that marketing is all about branding and positioning. Even if that were true, branding and positioning are not easy to get right. The first resort of the marketing scoundrel is changing the name. The second is justifying it by claiming to have consulted widely.The London Museum of Water and Steam may have the word "London" in it, but it hardly trips off the tongue let alone sticks in the mind. Your best hope is that search engines find you when folks are searching for the venerable KBSM. If Madame Tussauds were having difficulties, would they change their name to the London Waxworks? I think not. Ditching KBSM is a pity, a shame, a mistake and - worst of all - cannot be reversed. Or can it?

Mike Paterson ● 4329d

Hi all,I thought I'd respond to this as both a local resident and a Trustee of the Museum. The renaming has been an emotive subject for many connected with the museum, but as Anthony mentioned in one of the earlier posts, the museum was losing out to other London and local attractions and given the rising overheads quite simply would not have been able to continue long-term. As an independent museum which receives no guaranteed funding something else had to be done to save it. Over the last 2 years the Museum has undergone a huge transformation project (thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Thames Water and other organisations) designed to broaden the appeal of the museum to a wider audience. We have a major new gallery which tells the story of London's water supply (both clean and waste), many new interactive models, all new interpretation on the engines and a new cafe and shop. The engines are as all they were but benefit from a complete renovation of the buildings and facilities.As part of this redevelopment it was decided to change the name to emphasise that we tell a broader story than just that of steam and connect us to the London tourist market. It was a decision taken by the board after much consultation with members, visitors, volunteers and many hours speaking to visitors at other attractions. The sign will unfortunately be replaced, but will be getting a display inside the museum as arguably the story of the Kew Bridge Steam Museum is just as important as that of the waterworks.We have worked hard to ensure we don't lose the 'local feel' and are still proud to say we are in Brentford. We are also proud to have worked with a number of local businesses during the project to try to keep money in the local area as well.We reopen on Saturday 22nd with every engine and the railway in steam and would love to see some of you down there. The Museum has been an important part of Brentford's history for the last 40 years, and although it won't be easy, this redevelopment project will give us a much better chance of making it through the next 40!Ed Stannard

Ed Stannard ● 4341d

Do we know if the focus of the museum will expand, or is it just a name change?The enormous beam engines are worth seeing, but I do think the museum could do more to cover the history (up to the present day) of how water is supplied to London and sewage taken away.I mean, the steam (and diesel) stationary engines are interesting, but it's quite a niche thing to focus on - there must be other interesting aspects of waterworks besides the source of motive power!It's also quite relevant to Brentford - there's a quote from this slightly quirky history - http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22575 - which says:"Lack of a sewerage system was condemned in the national press in 1873, when Brentford was associated with everything 'stagnant and disgraceful' and again labelled the filthiest place in England."I guess that might explain why the old Victorian pumping works buildings you can still see around Ferry Quays are so ornate and impressive to look at - they were a significant achievement and made a real difference to the area at the time. Must be some interesting stories to tell about this sort of thing.Disclaimer: I've not been to the Kew Bridge Steam Museum in years, so I could be blowing steam!

Kyle Smith ● 4344d

"Kew Bridge Steam Museum" should remain in my view."London" just waters down the name.I can understand why they're doing it.But promote localism ...especially if we are proud of it.Shame the old board might have to go!

Jim Lawes ● 4344d

I guess 'London' needs to be in the branding for tourists (just like Thames Valley University became the University of West London amongst many rebranded universities - though that of course is for foreign students)

Guy Lambert ● 4344d

Maybe Kew is now to common for them as Kew is the new name for Brentford.New name seems rather obscure and not particularly enticing.But it is losing out to Kempton which has space and an abundance of visitor parking.Yet another thing not factored into the council's big plans for reviving BrentfordMakes a joke of that LBH department with a name so long it does not even fit on an envelope.!

Anthony Waller ● 4344d