An Unexpected Steampunk Adventure

 

Mill engine

We visited London's Science Museum recently and an had unexpected Steampunk adventure! As soon as you walk in you are greeted by a gallery about the history of steam power including displays and working models of steam engines from the first engines right up to the horizontal Mill engine.
They have a working Mill engine and believe it or not, some Mill engines were used right up until the 1970's!

Walking around the other floors, we found a gallery dedicated to the history of watch making in London with large displays of pocket watches from private collectors as well as examples of large case clocks and tower clocks.

18th Century Pocket Watches

19th Century Pocket Watches

We also saw a large gallery about the history of time keeping with displays of more pocket watches as well as the tools of the trade and working enlarged version of the 3 main types of escapements used in pocket watches.

Tools of the Trade

Escapements

At the back of this area, there is an original speaking clock from the 1970s. It has 3 separate systems working together and is surprisingly large for something so simple - it really is a feat of engineering!

But the creme de la creme had to be the working Difference Engine No. 2 complete with printer built to tolerances achievable in the 19th Century from Charles Babbage's original designs.

Charles Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2

There is even a section on the technology through the centuries, the picture on below is for the 19th Century and would not be complete without a Penny-farthing.

 Overall, the Science Museum is really worth a visit for any Steampunk as well as anyone interested in the history of technology although strangely for a Science Museum it wasn't very, for want of a better word, sciency.