Crossness Engines Reopen to Visitors

The Crossness Engines Trust is reopening to the public from Tuesday, 4th August for the first time this year since it had to postpone its 2020 opening in March this year.

In accordance with current guidelines, we have made changes to the way we operate. Visitors will need to pre-book all visits now. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite - links are on our website at www.crossness.org.uk - and numbers have been reduced to avoid any risk of over-crowding.

Updated signs have been installed throughout the site and we’ve established a one-way route to visit the museum. Unfortunately, we’ve had to deactivate the interactive elements of the Museum Exhibition to remove any risk of cross-contamination. The Shop and Cafeteria will be open but under new restrictions to minimise risk.

All our guides and stewards will wear transparent face-shields rather than masks to avoid hindering communication with our visitors. Our visitors are asked to wear face-coverings inside the buildings.

Visitors on Open Days will be able to see the Engine House and Museum, as well as our Railway, the Valve House, Fitting Shop and gardens.

Martin Hunt, Chair of the Board of Trustees, said: “Just one week before we were due to open for the 2020 season, we had to cancel our events programme and only now are we in a position to re-open to the public. Our amazing volunteers have been working extremely hard to get everything ready to receive visitors and we’re so grateful to them for all their hard work and dedication. 2020 marks the 35th year since volunteers set about rescuing the Crossness Engines from rust and ruin and we are determined to see this work continue”.

Crossness Engines Trust
The Old Works
Thames Water S.T.W.
Bazalgette Way
Abbey Wood
London SE2 9AQ

Website: www.crossness.org.uk

Contact:
Mariam Ridley [volunteer]
Tel. No. +44 20 8322 3711
Mobile: +44 7710498817

Crossness Engines Trust is an independent charity dedicated to the restoration of the grounds, buildings and the largest steam-operated rotative beam engines of their type in the world in the iconic 1865 former pumping station at Crossness. The trust is primarily funded through donations, memberships and ticket sales.

The Crossness Engines Trust was due to start its visitor programme for 2020 in March but following advice from Public Health England, this was postponed until the beginning of August. This means we have lost over 4 months of income and face at least another 4 months of a much-reduced income as we limit visitor numbers. This places a huge strain on our finances which were only just starting to recover following 18 months of restricted opening as asbestos found in the Engine House was removed and made safe.

This release was published on openPR.