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ADMINISTRATION:
Photos
by John Moss
and Gary Burns
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Bolton
Steam Museum
Mornington
Road, Bolton BL1 4EU. Tel: 01257-265 003 or 01204-846 490.
The
museum is located in an original cotton store on the old Atlas Mills
site off Chorley Old Road (approx 1½ miles North West of Bolton
town centre) and has on display a superb and extensive collection of
fully restored textile mill steam engines. These
were in common use throughout the North of England from the early 1800's
until the 1960's when textile production declined dramatically and many
mills closed. There is a notable and rare 1840 twin beam engine and
a unique 1893 "non-dead-centre" machine. Most engines are in running
order and can be seen in motion, a boiler is installed, and runs the
engines in steam on several public Steaming Days each year.. Access
to the museum is via Morrisons Supermarket car park, and is adjacent
to the petrol station. Parking is free. Telephone for specific dates
or informal visits or see their website at: http://www.nmes.org.
Helmshore Mills
Textile Museum
Holcombe
Road, Helmshore, Rossendale, Lancashire BB4 4NP. Tel: 01706-226 459.
This is a full
working museum with demonstrations of machinery, set in an original
18th century building with its magnificent water wheel, and two authentic
working mill museum galleries. Visitors may experience the original
(not reconstructed) textile mill with all of its real sounds and smells.
The Higher Mill was built in 1789 by the Turner family with the purpose
of finishing woollen cloths, and had an unbroken working family connection
until its commercial closure in 1967.
The adjacent
Whittaker's Mill, conversely, has had a somewhat chequered career,
though by 1920 it had become a cotton spinning mill. Its machinery
is still installed as it was as a working mill, with no changes whatever
made in the interests of 'tourism'. The visitor may experience the
full range of activities that have been carried out here over the
past two centuries, including spinning, weaving, carding and fulling.
The celebrated Water Frame, which is still powered by the great water
wheel, came originally from Richard
Arkwright's own factory.
Other famous
machines may be seen here including Spinning Mules, Hargreaves' Spinning
Jenny, and many others. Talks on "The Lancashire Loom", the story
of the Lancashire Textile Industry every half hour throughout the
day, and a video "Hand to Wheel" at a quarter past and a quarter to
the hour. There are attendants around who are happy to explain and
demonstrate the working of the mills. There
is a Museum Shop on site, a Cafeteria, Picnic Area, a Riverside Walk
and almost full disabled access.
Opening
Times
Open to the public from 1st April - 31st October from Monday-Friday
12noon-4.00pm, Saturdays and Sundays 12noon-5.00pm. There is an admission
charge. Pre-booked groups and school parties by arrangement. Free
car parking. Please note that times may change and that you should
check before setting out.
Location
Helmshore
is located on the A56 Haslingden bypass or via Rawtenstall town centre
at the northern end of the M66 motorway. Follow the brown signs. There
is an hourly bus service from Rawtenstall and Haslingden.
Cheshire
Military Museum
The
Castle, Chester. Telephone: 01244-327617.
The
Cheshire Military Museum at Chester
offers a fascinating exhibition telling the story of four famous regiments
connected with the county of Cheshire. Regiments represented include
"The Carabiniers", "The Skins", the Cheshire Yeomanry and "The Cheshires".
The Carabiniers were an amalgamation of the 3rd and 6th Dragoon Guards,
who were involved in the successful Heavy Brigade charge at the battle
of Balaclava.
One of the oldest exhibits is a pike and sleeve of the colour carried
at the Battle of the Boyne in Northern Ireland in 1690. The Skins were
a troop raised by Sir Thomas Grosvenor at Chester in 1685, composed
of the 5th Dragoon Guards and the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons. The Cheshire
Yeomanry came into being in 1797 and still exist as an active regiment
today, raised initially to keep the King's peace in the county. They
were the last regiment to fight on horseback in the Second World War.
The Cheshires were raised in 1689 and have fought in battles from the
Boyne in 1690 to Bosnia in 1993. There are also tribute exhibits to
Captain Oates, the ill-fated martyr of the Scott Antarctic team, and
of Lord Baden Powell in South Africa, founder of the Boy Scouts movement.
The museum is open all year round except from 18th December to 2nd January,
but check before setting out. A small entrance fee is payable with concessions
for children, Senior Citizens and the Disabled. School parties are welcome
and Teacher Resource Packs are available on request.
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