Industrial heritage & Metalwork sites /attractions

[RWD3M]

Hi all,

Mrs RWD and I have just had a short break by the seaside over in East Anglia and found these two places whilst we were there.

The first one was the Long Shop Museum in Leiston. (https://www.longshopmuseum.co.uk/) A one time manufacturer of Steam road rollers, mobile steam engines and all manner of other machaniccal marvels over it's 200 plus year existense, Garretts old production line has been open as a museum since 1984 and was well worth the visit.

The second was the Forncett Steam Museum (https://www.forncettsteammuseum.co.uk/) where amongst other things, they have one of the actual engine that came out of Tower Bridge in 1975. Almost all of their engines are in full working order but only on the first Sunday of the month. I got there 3 too days late They also have a good sized machine shop, all steam driven including one or two lathes that wouldn't look out of place on Spencer's drive! It's quite well hidden down a series of narrow country lanes but well worth the effort of seeking out.

Oops nearly forgot, the obligatory pictures! I only have pics from the Forncett museum, sorry.

Tower Bridge engine.

And a couple of the machine shop.

 

[CaptainPugwash]

Near Redruth in Cornwall
King Edward mine Museum is ok if you're in the area

King Edward Mine Museum

Discover the awesome King Edward Mine Museum with us at Proper Cornwall. This Cornish tin mill and working museum makes for a great day out.

propercornwall.co.uk

I might have put this one in this thread before:

Morwellham Quay - Things to do and activities

Morwellham

www.morwellham-quay.co.uk

Devon
I liked this, with the trip underground. I'm guessing children would like it there too.


Apologies if I am stretching the definition of Industrial heritage with the following suggestion of transport museums but if you are on holiday in Devon/ North cornwall you might enjoy https://www.yell.com/biz/bradworthy-transport-museum-holsworthy-6184095/
And the car museum at Gaydon in the midlands is really good too.

 

[Che]

Not sure if this has already been mentioned , but Clay Mills Pumping station near Burton on Trent just off A38 is amazing Victorian Sewage Works - architecture as well as steam engines are superb.

Check when they are steaming as it's only half dozen days a year - it's open most times though

 

[Che]

Here's the link - I cant see how to edit a post

Claymills Victorian Pumping Station

Claymills victorian steam pumping engines museum and archive. This web site gives you a taste of what you can see if you visit us. We have four beam engines by Gimson of Leicester 1885, Five boilers Thompson 1936-37, Steam driven workshop, Forge and a 1930's dynamo house with early (1890's)...

www.claymills.org.uk

 

[bourbon]

Clay mills have just started steaming another engine.

 

[Che]

Clay mills have just started steaming another engine.

Great news! They really do some good work there. I haven't been for a few years but I always enjoy a visit.

 

[Easywelder]

Cambridge Museum of Technology, haven’t been but was working nearby and it’s located in an old pumping statio, nice building.

Cambridge Museum of Technology

Exploring our industrial heritage.

www.museumoftechnology.com

 

[voipio]

https://www.britishironworkcentre.co.uk/

Sadly, It's an overpriced shop. expensive café and a weird 'card' system you have to apply for on the door to get in.

And the owner drives in with their ..1RON numberplated Bentley!! It's a fiver for a coffee and a huge delicious chocolate cookie, so about the going rate these days.

The emphasis leans heavily towards welded sculpture-type exhibits, mostly with conservation-themed inspirations on the caption boards, so it's more of an artistic eco-exhibition than an engineering one, but it's an interesting day out.

 

[iNf]

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/dolaucothi
Interesting gold mine and tour dating from Roman times and more modern 1900's with some interesting Machinery. Free for NT members.

Shaper and nice DSG lathe with a tta

Some nice old compressors (with 5' 2" wife for scale )

 

[Red'n'Black]

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/dolaucothi
Interesting gold mine and tour dating from Roman times and more modern 1900's with some interesting Machinery. Free for NT members.

Shaper and nice DSG lathe with a tta
View attachment 453487
Some nice old compressors (with 5' 2" wife for scale )
View attachment 453488

I grew up a few miles from there, primary school did a trip there shortly after it opened, circa 1979. Good to see it's still going.

 

[voipio]

Visited there last year and also about twenty (may be more) years before that. It's an interesting, and peaceful place. I remember lying down in the middle of Pumsaint's main road during "rush" hour. Traffic was virtually non-existent, in this beautiful and very quiet corner of Wales ;-)

 

[Barking Mat]

The Finch Foundry, Sticklepath, Devon.

Finch Foundry | Devon

Explore Finch Foundry in Devon, and find out more about this fascinating example of Victorian engineering: the last working water-powered forge in England.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk

I used to be a volunteer there, water wheel driven power hammer, awesome place, cream teas good too.

 

[JMS1972]

I recently visited Arkwright's Mill/ Mason mills in Derbyshire and made a video of the visit. Lots of dangerous machinery!

 

[Martin Hocking]

Hi all,

Mrs RWD and I have just had a short break by the seaside over in East Anglia and found these two places whilst we were there.

The first one was the Long Shop Museum in Leiston. (https://www.longshopmuseum.co.uk/) A one time manufacturer of Steam road rollers, mobile steam engines and all manner of other machaniccal marvels over it's 200 plus year existense, Garretts old production line has been open as a museum since 1984 and was well worth the visit.

The second was the Forncett Steam Museum (https://www.forncettsteammuseum.co.uk/) where amongst other things, they have one of the actual engine that came out of Tower Bridge in 1975. Almost all of their engines are in full working order but only on the first Sunday of the month. I got there 3 too days late They also have a good sized machine shop, all steam driven including one or two lathes that wouldn't look out of place on Spencer's drive! It's quite well hidden down a series of narrow country lanes but well worth the effort of seeking out.

Oops nearly forgot, the obligatory pictures! I only have pics from the Forncett museum, sorry.

View attachment 407043
Tower Bridge engine.

View attachment 407045
View attachment 407046

And a couple of the machine shop.

I was teasing my kids earlier this week, because they asked me what I’d decided we should do for Father’s Day, I told them we’d be visiting the museum of boring old man stuff. I didn’t realise there was actually one so nearby!
I showed them your pictures and my daughter burst into tears! Needless to say I think we’re going strawberry picking instead, but I’ll make sure we drag them there on one of their steam days this summer. It looks great fun.

 

[Bornfree]

Prickwillow drainage museum near Ely Cambridgeshire is worth a look if you like early diesel engines. The original 1924 engine is still in place.

 

[bourbon]

I recently visited Arkwright's Mill/ Mason mills in Derbyshire and made a video of the visit. Lots of dangerous machinery!

I didn't realise the museum was still open. I though that it had closed when the shopping centre folded

 

[JMS1972]

I didn't realise the museum was still open. I though that it had closed when the shopping centre folded

Its mainly volunteers but still going strong. I enjoyed it but was weird how quiet the car park was due to no shops....

 

[seriesonewelder]

Drakelow Tunnels near Kidderminster

Drakelow Tunnels

drakelow-tunnels.co.uk

One of Rover's shadow factories during the second world war making engine parts.

 

[jimbo84]

Took the little one to the national rail museum in York today, must be about 7 or 8 years since I last went (before children), all the workshop space you could view back then has gone now much to my disappointment.

Of all the locos there you could only go in 2 and only one was the footplate. Bit of a let down really, he’s 3 and the main question of the day was can we go in that one.

 

[zzr1200]

If your down in South East London and are into steam powered beam engines.....a bit wiffy at times but worth it....

Visit Us | Crossness Engines Trust

Guided Tours Crossness Engines Trust Pumping Station Joseph Bazalgette Sewer Drainage Victorian Cathedral Steam Engine Beam Visit

crossness.org.uk