Engineering-type attractions in London

[MinnieMountain]

I’m taking 9yo DS to London for a weekend in April.
He asked if you can see the mechanics in the Thames barrier. I see you can’t.
I’ve found the Transport museum, the Postal museum (for the train) and Tower Bridge.
Is there anything else where he can see mechanical things working that I’ve missed?

London Transport Museum?

Kircaldy's Testing Works. Tiny, niche place near London Bridge. Holds all sorts of weird Victorian machines including this giant testing machine thing that they will demo while you're there. I think it's volunteer run with odd hours and pretty sure you have to book in advance but it's a fairly unique London experience

Travel on the newest parts of the London underground

Find a mainline train station, where you can watch from above & look down on the trains

V&A museum must have lots of engineered items

Some art galleries will have art which moves, so this could be video, animation, sculpture, kinetic
Probably some in Tate Modern which is free entry

Churches would have been built with engineering

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nrtd2/episodes/downloads

I can't add to this, but just to say that the inside of the Thames Barrier is amazing. It was on my bucket list until very recently. I'm a civil engineer and I have worked for the Environment Agency for over 20 years. It was a circuitous route to achieve this, but the only route available now.

Taking a canal ride through camden you get to go through a few locks.

I won’t tell DS @IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads . He’ll get jealous. Then again, the Environment Agency is a good place to work…

The testing works would be spot on it it was open our weekend @houseargh . I’ve made a note.

Institution of Civil Engineers public learning/exhibition stuff. It's a pretty impressive place.

That’s a good one for the school holidays @IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads . Or I could just take DS for a bike ride into the Fens 😁

Crossness Pumping Station

www.crossness.org.uk

I like the sound of your DS @MinnieMountain. I have built a few pumping stations!

www.novelty-automation.com might appeal

Slightly off track, but have you seen this book @minipie Engineers Make A Difference. Your DS is the target audience!

I don't know what part of the country you are in but this is a very unusual but educational place that most engineers and petrol heads would love, try to go on a day when its all running. Doesn't open until April
www.internalfire.com
The beaches and locally are fab too

Not in London but take him to see the ss great Britain in Bristol. It is amazing.

Trip on the Jubilee line (new bit) or Crossrail
Canary wharf area
Kings Cross/St Pancras
Look out for the Tideway sites along the river
Imperial war museum
HMS Belfast