Kirkaldy’s Testing Works

Name: Kirkaldy’s Testing Works
Address: 99 Southwark Street, London SE1 0JF England, London, United Kingdom
Rating: 4.8

4.8

(30 reviews)

99 Southwark Street, London SE1 0JF England

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About

Come and break something! This "amazing" Grade II* engineering heritage site is in the heart of London's Bankside, by Tate Modern. There's a choice of tours on different days including an after-hours Taster, regular Workshop discovery tours or the premium tour with live test of the 'big machine'. The Testing Works is an important piece of London's story - a materials testing workshop where both ideas and metal were tested to destruction. Facts Not Opinions, as it says over the door! Founder David Kirkaldy designed his huge Universal Testing Machine and invited the world to send samples of projects for *independent* testing. Samples from the Eads Bridge to Sydney Harbour, Hammersmith to the de Havilland Comet, were tested right here in Bankside. Now A Level /Year 12 Physics and Maths classes can also get hands-on with the working machines - and bring materials and mechanics to life!

At a glance

Typical visit: about 1 hour 30 minutes