Forncett Industrial Steam Museum
If in Norfolk you should not miss a visit the Forncett Industrial Steam Museum, where a number of large stationary steam engines have been collected and may be seen in steam, typically on the first Sunday of the month between May and November - 11 am to 5.00 pm., or at other times by arrangement with the owner, Dr Rowan. Francis.
The Forncett collection started out as a hobby and has developed into one of the most comprehensive collections of working stationary steam engines in the UK. It is located in the lovely Tas valley about 10 miles South West of Norwich at Low Road, Forncett St, Mary, Norwich, Norfolk - Telephone (UK) 01508 488277 (Here's a MAP to help you find it)
Steaming days for 2009 are:
May 3rd
June 7th
July 5th
August 2nd
September 6th
October 4th - This steaming will include the popular Model Engineers Exhibition day - featuring a display of interesting models and machinery by local model engineering enthusiasts in addition to the Museum engine being in steam - well worth a visit
November 1st
Other special events, such as visits by vintage car or motorcycle organisations are often incorporated as part of the steaming program, please contact the museum directly by phone for details.
The large mezzanine area overlooking the Hopwas Beam Engine or on fine days the rooftop patio provides a wonderful space to sit, relax and sample the home made delights from the teashop (yes the ladies and families are welcome and catered for, as well as the hardened steam engine enthusiast)
Click here to see other museums in East Anglia which have steam engines, or Other Museums around the UK with steam engines
The Museum aims are to provide a permanent home for engines which might otherwise have been scrapped, to make them available for public viewing and to display them in steam -aims which might be regarded as a major undertaking for a public authority run museum, the achievement of Dr Francis, his family and their small band of volunteer helpers is nothing short of amazing. While fortunate to have received some donations in cash or kind from a number of bodies and individuals, the engines forming the collection have been resited, re assembled (almost invariably involving large crane work) housed in purpose designed buildings, conserved or restored and steamed for the public on a regular basis as a result of private funding and the modest receipts from visitors on steaming days.
The collection includes :-
(If you click on the highlighted words this will take you to an extended description, pictures or both)
A 150 HP Vickers Armstrong cross compound pumping engine originally used to open Tower Bridge in London
The last IVTE (inverted vertical triple expansion) waterworks pumping engine built in the UK (ex Dover Waterworks) by Worthington Simpson, Engine No 5056 of 147 HP.
A Robey 200 HP tandem compound mill engine No 23857 from Sleaford Maltings
Hick Hargreaves 50 HP horizontal single mill engine No 303 with Inglis and Spencer's Corliss valve gear, one of only two engines of this type surviving
An Easton and Anderson 65 HP 'A frame' Woolf compound waterworks beam engine from Roall water pumping station in Yorkshire
'Spruce' a 50 HP single cylinder house built waterworks beam pumping engine (Gimson) from Hopwas. Here are a couple of pictures of engineering in the raw - a do it yourself Beam Engine kit the main work of which was re erected in a day.
A Hunter and English inverted vertical single cylinder engine from Poplar gasworks
Horizontal open crank single cylinder engines by Jessop and Appleby , Marshall, Ruston
'Modern' engines are represented by vertical enclosed engines by Belliss and Morecambe and Allen and a variety of feedpumps by Weir, Worthington Simpson, Haywood and Tyler, Elliot and Garood, Gus Lee and Boswell
The latest addition is this early Parsons axial flow steam turbine / turbo alternator, which with the modern Hayward Tyler mark the start and finish of the small turbine era
Steam is provided by two solid fuelled Cochran vertical boilers and an oil fired horizontal marine type 'wet back 'Scotch' boiler.