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Beam engine, Crossness

Part of Balzalgette's solution to the 'big stink of London'. This engine house contained four large single cylinder beam engines by James Watt & Co. At the beginning of the twentieth century these were extensively modernised by Benjamin Goodfellow of Hyde. The result was a set of virtually new triple expansion beam engines with the beams and flywheels remaining of the originals. They last ran about 1953 and were neglected for many years, becoming largely solid blocks of rust. One has now been restored and runs on steam again.