Twyford, United Kingdom
Hazeley Rd
N/A
+44 1962714716
Good for kids
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Wow, what a little gem. This place has so much to learn; from the water hydraulic engine to the steam room. Really insightful for the family. Look out for open days and gift aid if you can. The volunteers were amazing.
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This was a brilliant day out with my husband and young son. We went to the Spring rally which had loads of traction engines and other vintage vehicles to look at as well. It also had a woodturner using a foot power lathe and scroll saw, additional burger vendor and a couple of fairground organs for the day. Aside from this the site was also very interesting by itself. Both my husband and I consider ourselves interested people and it was nice to find a place that had a good balance between treating visitors like idiots and treating them like anoraks. Also there were so many volunteers who could answer most questions put to them The only downside to an otherwise lovely day is that the lime kilns, nature walk and industrial railway were all inaccessible for wheelchairs. This situation that the site is in means that the industrial railway which supplied chalk to the lime kilns are all quite a bit higher up than the main pumping station. You can reach the base of one flights of steps in a wheelchair up an incline. However, there are then about a dozen (small) steps up to a plateau of about 30m long and then another 15-20 steps up to the lime kilns. The lime kilns themselves had a water pump on the level but if you wanted to see the kilns there were another 4 steps down to that area. To see where they charged the kilns is another walk along reasonably flat area (with a bench half way) of about 100m, which also takes you to where you can view the industrial railway. This is also the start of the nature trail - which is a fairly long walk by the looks of it, having not done it I can't comment fully. Finally they have a lovely, if small, tea room which sells savoury and sweet items such as quiche, cake as well as the standard tea and coffee. They did not have many things to cater for dietary restrictions. My husband is coeliac, and noticed that there wasn't anything he would have been able to eat
Amazing place being restored by volunteers & enthusiasts! Opens 3 or 4 times a year for visitors to enjoy the lime kiln steam engines. Always lots of vintage vehicles & bikes to admire & envy!
Really friendly place! All the staff were really helpful, polite, informative and friendly. It's great to see this important piece of history preserved and kept running. There are numerous steam, diesel and other engines still running and on show. There are little trains and other industrial items. There is a great little cafe with handmade cakes and toasted sandwiches. There is a bridleway that runs right through the site that is great for walks and rides. The site is easily reached within 10 minutes of the M3. Check to see when this place is open - it only opens a few times a year, but is worth waiting for. It's great for kids and everyone else. The main parts are fairly flat, but there are a few pieces that are up steep steps outside.
Well worth a visit
Deli
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