UK Museums to see old stationary engines

I will be visiting the UK in August / September and would love to visit some of your museums that display the big old stationary engines. In general terms, I'll be hiring a car in Bath and heading north as far as Inverness and then back down south to Cambridge before taking the train to London. I have 3 weeks and a lot of flexibility in my route.

Any suggestions on museums that display the big old stationary engines and related subjects would be welcome.

David,

I think you would enjoy Papplewick Pumping Station.

... There are a few photos in one of my Albums.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 21/07/2014 07:36:15

Northern Mill Engine Society at Bolton has one of the best collection **LINK** and whilst your up that neck of the woods you should visit Quarry Bank Mill **LINK**

Enjoy your visit

Stew

Claymills 24th/25th Aug is worth a visit if it fits in with your visit "link"

+1 for Papplewick.

David.

Markham Grange Steam Museum near Doncaster.

http://www.markhamgrangesteammuseum.co.uk/

Phil

Hi David,
Another one is the "Anson Engine Museum" which is near Stockport. Although not dealing with stationary engines the "York Railway Museum" is also worth visiting.

Les.

Edited By Les Jones 1 on 21/07/2014 08:59:48

Hello all, dont forget Kew Bridge pumping station. Dead easy to get to off the M4.

If you can get out to deepest, darkest west Wales, between Cardigan and Aberystwyth, there is also the Museum Of Internal Fire.

http://www.internalfire.com/

The main difference between this one and the Anson is that Internal Fire try to display the engines in a period working environment.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

Crofton is not far from Bath. As well as the pumping engines they have a few smaller steam engines as well.

Rod

Hi there, David,

I'd recommend that you visit the cluster of museums at the Ironbridge Gorge. Here's the web-site: http://www.ironbridge.org.uk/ . I'd say it's the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.

I visited back in the early 1980s - we bought our tickets and started in early on a Friday afternoon, stayed overnight in B&B, spent all day Saturday there and Sunday morning before having to move on. There was still a lot we hadn't seen and I understand they've moved lots more equipment onto the site since then.

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

Edited By Swarf, Mostly! on 21/07/2014 14:53:20

Hi David Morrow

Don't forget the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum South Kensington London My wife is interested in art and always enjoys the V&A So we spend the morning at the respective venues, meet for lunch then share the highlights we each found together. always a great day but it is never long enough.
There is a direct tunnel from the tube station If you have ditched your car outside London.

Also the imperial war museum Lambeth North London if you are interested in military History is well worth seeing.

Regards
John

The Science Museum has some great stuff, not displayed particularly well. Avoid the exhibits aimed at 'engaging new audiences'. Watt's workshop would be great if you didn't have to view it through a distorting plexiglass bubble.

Clay Mills is a friendly place, ask lots of questions and you will get fascinating answers.

Try and fit in a watermill and a windmill on your trip, both fascinating and help put the 'big stuff' into context.

Neil

I'm positively overwhelmed by all of your input. Thank you all so much. I recognize some of the names mentioned but others are completely new to me. I'm going to spend some time with Google and my mapping program to see how many I can fit into the trip while maintaining a bit of balance with other sights and activities. In Canada, I like to travel the secondary roads by motorcycle and distances are no issue so side trips off our planned router shouldn't be a problem. It looks like time could very well be the deciding factor.

Hi David, I think it is true to say that the replies so far are just a drop in the ocean compared to what is available in the UK. Don't know if you have been to the UK before but you could stab a pin in a map and be sure that there would be something historical of some sort within a mile or so.

Have you heard of Fred Dibnah? a self confessed Victorian born in the wrong age, sadly no longer with us but he did a series of TV documentaries relating to British steam engineering history, Videos are available. Wonderful stuff.

Enjoy your trip

Bill D.

Another one not far off the line from Bath to Inverness Mill Meece Pumping Station

If not a normal open day just contact us (info is on the web site) to arrange a visit.

Mike

David: If you are coming south down the A1 from Scotland towards Cambridge, it's not too much of a diversion to visit the town of Spalding, and you could visit the nearby Pinchbeck Engine. Just a single beam engine powering a drainage pump, it's true, but it is an important part of the history of the drainage of the Fens. It's also provided me with the opportunity to give a plug to my home town!

Hi David.

When heading back down towards Cambridge a slight detour might take you to Forncette Industrial Msuem in Norfolk: **LINK**

Diane

David, if you go to Sheffield, go to the Kelam Island industrial museum, I spent some time in Sheffield 30 years ago, it was great then, it should be even better now. If it's still there, there was a "Hobby" shop near by, it was just about as good as a museum. Ian S C

Very near Cambridge (about 18 miles) is the Fenland drainage museum at Prickwillow (two old diesels I believe), and also ,even nearer (about 12 miles ) a steam drainage engine at Stretham. Also a little bit further away on the A10 at Brandon Creek is a Very large Crossley fenland drainage engine. This as far as I know is not open to the public but can be viewed through the windows from the adjacent river bank.

My Uncle ran this and a very large Mirrlees (now dismantled and gone) on this site for many years. If you knock on the door of the adjacent house, which he and his family lived in) the owner might let you into the engine shed for a look round. The surviving Crossley is about a mile north of the river bridge at Brandon Creek on the A10 ,on the left as you head North. On the right is a modern brick building housing the replacement automatic electric pump. You'll see the big engine shed and can probably park in the yard to get access to the river bank (about 40 yards.)

I believe the Stretham and Prickwillow engines have running days but you'll have to check all this on the internet.

Edited By alan frost on 22/07/2014 12:44:16