Other museums or sites where stationary steam engines may be seen in the UK :-
(Remember, click on the coloured words to be hyperlinked to their respective sites)
It has to be here at the top of the list - it combines two of my loves Real Ale and Steam, the Hook Norton Breweryin Oxfordshire has the last commercially working open crank stationary steam engine in the UK (unless of course you know differently)
While not open to the public, two Wentworth beam engines survive at the Ram Brewery of Youngs & Co in Wandsworth and a letter to the management may result in permission to view.
Kew Bridge Pumping Station Museum, Green Dragon Lane, Brentford, West London (not far from Kew Gardens) is THE place in London for the SE enthusiast - marvel at the magnificence of the 80", 90" and 100" diameter cylinders of their larger Cornish beam pumping engines, numerous other engines and a substantial waterwheel run at weekends for the visiors delight and amazement and a fascinating exhibition of the history of water supply makes this a great day out for adults and children alike. - 0181 568 4757
The London Science Museum in South Kensington has a number of significant steam engines to be seen - mind you, they have far more kept out of the sight of us ordinary mortals........
An early James Watt rotative beam engine, complete with parallel motion, sun and planet gear,seperate condenser and throttle governor. (compare this with the oldest still surviving in the Sydney Powerhouse Museum)
An Easton and Anderson 'grasshopper' beam engine
A very pretty self contained six column beam engine
Or you may choose to lunch adjacent to this magnificent cross compound textile mill engine made by Burnley Ironworks as it idles round under steam.
And despite the younger of the Tower Bridge engines having been re located to the Forncett Industrial Steam Museum, the two original Victorian tandem cross compound hydraulic pumping engines are still in situ (above). - 0171 403 3761
This 250 hp, 1864 Earnshaw & Holt single cylinder horizontal mill engine from Durn Mill in Littleborough is one of the superb collection at Manchester Museum of Science and Industry which have to be seen if in the area. The engines are steamed on a daily basis. - 0161 832 2244
The Northern Mill Engine Society had their collection at Atlas No 3 Mill, Bolton, sadly a supermarket redevelopment of the site has forced them to relocate their collection in a nearby building which may take a few years to complete, so click on the link and see on line what they are working on.
The Reading Museum of Rural Life has a vast collection of information, along with archive material from a large number of steam engine manufacturers and much much more, helpful staff too if you need help looking for obscure material (they hold one of the few Riches and Watts catalogues so far discovered).
The superb Birmingham Science Museum collection has been partially rebuilt in their new Millennium Thinktank complex, with some engines in motion / steam most if not all open days. One of those situations where the engines that have been erected are well displayed (but glass safety screening makes photography awkward) but it has become an 'experience' rather than a museum and straight technical facts / labelling is seriously absent, the staff while extremely helpfull are as yet inexperienced and the tendancy is to hanker for how it was ! Still, early days and there opportunity for development and the possibility of a site across the road being added for further displays which might come some way to getting back to the superb display which was the old Newhall Street Site.
Ellenroad Ring Mill, Milnrow, Rochdale in Lancashire - where the magnificent engine and its house have survived the rest of the mill, it is BIG at 2850 horsepower (and was regularly indicating over 3000 hp in the 1950's), with an 80 ton 28 foot diameter flywheel grooved for 44 cotton ropes it was built by J & W McNaught in 1892, rebuilt by Clayton Goodfellow in 1921 and is of the twin tandem compound type, the 'sides' (effectively two separate engines sharing a common crankshaft and flywheel) are known as Victoria and Alexandria. The high pressure cylinders have Corliss valves and the low pressure use piston slide valves, speed is controlled by a Whitehead governor and condensing water is draw from the nearby River Beal. This is probably the only big mill engine left that is regularly run at its normal working speed, it has to be 'felt' to be believed - an experience not to be missed. A beam engine of 1842 vintage built by J. Petrie & Sons of Rochdale and originally used to power the Whitelees Mill in Littleborough nr Rochdale is also on view in the former boiler house, where steam is provided by the sole remaining Lancashire Boiler and a number of other steam powered artifacts are also on view, including an electrical generator set, a steam fire pump by Mather and Platt of Manchester and a Weir pump used to supply boiler feed water. - 01706 881952
The 1907 J & E Wood twin tandem horizontal triple expansion at Trencherfield Mill, Wigan also delivered about 2500 horsepower from its 25" HP, 40" IP and twin 44.25" LP by 60" stroke Corliss valved cylinders, spinning a 26'6" diameter flywheel weighing many tons at 68 rpm it drove the mill equipment through 54 ropes and may be seen in steam on a regular basis - although no longer driving a load. - 01942 323666
Millmeece water pumping station (above) near Eccleshall in Staffordshire houses two enormous tandem compound pumping engines, by Hathorn Davey and Ashton Frost. There are also a whole host of little engines preserved from off site - Well worth a visit, they are open with the engines static most Sundays from 1.00pm to 5.00 pm and 11.00am to 5.00 pm on steaming days, which, during 2002 are on 11th & 12th May (plus a stationary engine rally), 16th June, 14th July (motorcycle rally), 18th August and 21st &22nd September where there is also a yesteryear rally. For further details contact Howard Moore on millmeece@ntlworld.com
See photos of the similar, magnificent Hathorn Davey engines once at Fleam Dyke near Cambridge, now scrapped, in Damp Eye Corner.
Cumbria had a very strong industrial past - sadly now mostly gone but there are odd outcrops of real beauty amongst all the 'scenery' - Wetheriggs steam powered pottery near Penrith has a unique working steam powered clay blunger.
Haig Colliery Mining Museum near Whitehaven in Cumbria has a nice website describing their two preserved Bever Dorling winding engines, the No 4 engine is largely complete and can be run on compressed air, the No 5 engine is yet to be finished.
Sheffield holds the largest remaining steamable engine in the UK - the ex River Don Steelworks 12,000 horsepower inverted vertical three cylinder armour plate rolling mill engine which along with its second motion shaft has be re erected at the Kelham Island Museum. Built by Davy Brothers in 1905 this monster of an engine is turned over by steam regularly, its three 40" bore by 48" stroke cylinders fitted with piston valves and hydraulically operated Joy valve gear, ran at 120 rpm and could reverse in under two seconds. It stands 30' high by 40' long and weighs in at around 420 tons, the crankshaft is 21" in diameter. If you only ever see one steam engine moving in your life this should probably be the one ! - phone 0114 272 2106
Wrought Iron can still be seen being rolled by steam at Blists Hill, part of the Coalbrookdale / Ironbridge Gorge heritage / museum sites near Telford in Shropshire. Here numerous re creations of industrial complexes, now long gone, are populated with several steam engines large and small, driving rolling mills, furnace blowing, pumping, winding coal and even driving machinery in the recreation of a locksmiths works reward those who wander round looking for the tell tales signs of steam. - 01952 586063
Ten beam engines by the Leicester engineering firm of Gimson and Co. have survived in five locations. Abbey Pumping Station, Corporation Road, Leicester (above) - where four 200 horsepower Gimson rotative Woolf compound beam pumping engines - which were installed in 1891 to dispose of Leicester's sewage - are under restoration and steamed at well announced intervals, these engines form the core of the Leicestershire Museum of Technology, along with a number of other stationary steam and other engines and interesting exhibits. For current opening details Phone 0116 299 5111 / Fax 0116 299 5125
Snibston Discovery Park between Leicester and Burton on Trent houses ex Hopwas water pumping station Gimson beam engine 'WOODY' (the sister engine to 'SPRUCE' at Forncett) which can can be seen steaming on a daily basis. In addition, a Gimson single cylinder, horizontal engine of 12" bore by 2' stroke built in 1895 and an enclosed Bellis and Morcom direct coupled enclosed engine and generator can also be steamed.
Four more large Gimson sewage pumping beam engines survive at Clay Mills sewage pumping station at Burton on Trent, Staffordshire. Visit the official Clay Mills Pumping Engine Trust website for details of location, opening times and contact details.
If in Burton on Trent, do not miss a visit to the Bass Brewery museum at Horninglow Street, where amongst other facinating exhibits, the 200 horsepower Robey Tandem Compound mill engine No. 23856, sister to No. 23857 at Forncett is steamed periodically.
A superbly kept little 1899 built Gimson horizontal engine is also preserved at the Hall and Woodhouse brewery in Blandford Forum, Dorset and may sometimes be viewed on polite application to the brewery authorities - if you are really lucky they might steam it for you ! Last visit there was also a Ruston engine being rebuilt, ex Skona's brewery at Gillingham.
The Friends of Sandfields pumping station are preserving the unique Jonah & George Davies of Tipton Cornish beam pumping engine built in 1873 to supply water to Walsall and other Black Country towns including (later) Burton on Trent and Lichfield. Developing 190 hp from its 65" diameter by 9' stroke cylinder, this engine pumped up to two million gallons per day at 7 strokes per minute and operated a well pump through its 20 ton, 36 foot long, twin plate, cast iron beam. It is owned by the South Staffordshire Water Company, who are to be congratulated on their resistance to destroying the engines which served them so well over many years, two more survive at Maple Brook and Brindley Bank and the two ex Hopwas engines are to be seen at Forncett and Snibston.
Perhaps the most impressive remaining congregation of Beam engines in one house are the four rotatative sewage pumping engines surviving at Crossness, Erith in South East London. Originally built as single cylinder engines by James Watt & Co of Soho, Birmingham in 1865 they were rebuilt by Benjamin Goodfellow of Hyde in 1899 as triple expansion engines with cylinders 19 " x 7' 10.5" (high pressure), 32" x 10.5" (intermediate pressure) and 44" x 9' (low pressure) in this form they are the largest surviving beam engines in Europe. Between the engines which are arranged in a cruciform layout (+ as viewed from above) is the central 'octagon' which is a feast of ornate decorative cast iron, pillared, with leaves, scrolls and all manner of other exotic decorated panelling between the pillars it was High Victorian Gothic at it's best - and all in a sewage works where the general public were not allowed (other than at the grand Royal opening - as the engines were named after members of the royal family !) Derelict, decaying, covered in rust and bird droppings and inacessible for many years since they became obsolete, it is gradually being brought back to life by members of the voluntary Crossness Engines Trust. Openings are still relatively rare but they do happen - contact M. R. Dunmow on 0181 303 6723 for information.
Skopos Fabrics at Dewsbury where SARA the only surviving W & J Cardwell tandem compound mill engine can be seen.
Nortonthorpe Mills at Scissett, Denby Dale, near Huddersfield contains 'Violet' a superb restored Pollit and Wigzell three rod tandem compound mill engine built in 1886 and rebuilt in 1931. It is steamed on a regular basis and a call to Steve Buckley on 01924 444587 (daytime) or 01484 863545 (evenings) will reveal when the next steaming is due.
Another Pollit and Wigzell three rod tandem compound 'Agnes' once lived at Washpit Mills, Homfirth, (occasionally glimpsed on 'Last of the Summer Wine') where she was lovingly cared for by the late Herbert White. Note the superb spherically turned finish on the crank and big end - a feature peculiar to Pollit's - and the engine room cat - not very happy at being turfed off his chair in the corner so that the tripod could be set up ! The three rod design was very popular where the length on an engine was important, it allowed the high and low pressure cylinders to be placed next to each other, rather than apart by the stroke of the engine as in single rod tandem designs
Agnes has now been relocated, re built and re painted as part of Tom Nuttalls superb collection at Markham Grange / Brodsworth Nurseries near Doncaster where she and the following engines are steamed weekly on Wednesday afternoons.
The handed pair of ex Wilderspool Brewery Thornwill and Wareham horizontals
Robey duplex and Burton horizontals
A Fleming and Ferguson vertical compound marine engine and a Robey powered Thom water pump.
The unique Lumb rebuild (in 1900) of an early slide valved 150 hp overhead crank vertical compound extracted by the NMES from Kenyon's of Denby Dale many years ago awaits it's turn to be rebuilt !
For full details see volunteer restorer Clive Lusby's website
This 300 hp, 1910, Corliss valved Pollit & Wigzell cross compound mill engine powered Coldharbour Mill at Uffculme in Devon, driving through 13 one and a half inch diameter cotton ropes from its 13 foot diameter flywheel it is now steaming again - the mill - which also incorporates a reconstructed beam engine and a large, working, waterwheel for power - has a fascinating variety of wool spinning and weaving equipment in a delightful rural setting. - 01884 840960
Even that sanctuary dedicated to the worst kind of anorak - the railway enthusiast - has something of interest to the serious follower of steam - yes the National Railway Museum at York is home to three significant engines, they are (left) the ex Swannington Incline winding engine - thought to be the oldest horizontal engine in existence, (centre) the ex Weatherill Incline Durham pattern vertical crank overhead winding engine, a rare survivor of the type, and (right) a small free standing beam engine - the origin of which entirely escapes me for the moment but I think it powered a railway workshop somewhere.
Further North, near Sunderland, the Ryhope Engines Museum is well worth a visit. With magnificent engine and boiler houses containing two massive R & W Hawthorn Woolf Compound Cornish waterworks pumping engines of 1868 vintage which, with their 27.5" x 64" and 45" x 96" cylinders, 35 foot beam and 24 foot diameter flywheels used to pump a million gallons of per day running at 10 rpm - contact Frank Erskine frank@g3wte.demon.co.uk for more details.
Tees Cottage Pumping Station is just to the west of Darlington on the A67. It has a 1904 Teasdale Bros. compound beam engine which is in steam on Easter bank holiday & certain other weekends during the year. It is unusual in that it still runs off its original 1902 Lancashire boilers, and still pumps Tees-river water, as it always has. The site has many original features intact, and also contains a remarkable and very rare1914 gas engine (which likewise runs and pumps water on open days). Ring Information Darlington for further info: 01325 388 666.
Also not to be missed is a visit to the Beamish North of England Open Air Museum, if only to see the Beamish Colliery Steam Winder (similar to the vertical crank overhead engine, centre picture at the NRM, York) of 1855 by J&G Joicey. This fine Durham pattern engine is in steam daily during the summer.
Even further North, the Royal Scottish Museum in Edinburgh is well worth a visit - much more interesting than that draughty old castle and it has a nice collection of engines although sad to relate like many museums which are going for the 'plastic' kids display fad, not all are on display !
Just to the South of Edinburgh at Newtongrange is the Lady Victoria Colliery - now the Scottish national mining museum, where the second largest surviving winding engine can be seen - this is a Grant Ritchie twin cylinder (42" bore x 84" stroke) built in 1894 with a rope drum of 29 foot diameter.
For those on the south coast, a pair of James Watt beam engines are located in the Henderson Road sewage pumping station at Eastney, Portsmouth, ostensibly under preservation by the local museums service, like so many 'official' installations, the hard work of many dedicated amateurs has been largely wasted on closure of the site to the general public for alleged financial reasons.
Happier is the fate of one of the regularly steamed original beam pumping engines and a whole host of collected exhibits forming the British Engineerium at Hove, Brighton, lifetime project of Dr Jonathan Minns.
All information is thought to be correct but before embarking on a long journey it is as well to check details first - I hope those phone numbers available are accurate.