Kirkaldy Testing Works

This Grade II listed building was built in 1873 to accommodate design draftsman David Kirkaldy’s materials-testing museum and business, including the huge machine he designed to subject a wide range of substances to pressures of up to one million pounds (a sign outside bearing the admonishment ‘Facts Not Opinions’ gave an indication of the rigour to be expected within). The building now belongs, appropriately, to an engineering company, Waterman Partnership. It occupies the upper floors, leasing the ground floor and basement to the Kirkaldy Testing Museum which maintains the unique machine in working condition. As well as this behemoth you can see a number of small testing machines dating from between 1900 and 1970, Kirkaldy’s office and the patent for his invention. There’s a ten-minute introductory video and plenty of opportunity to ask questions. Regular tours take place on a first-come basis all day on Saturday.