Steam Heritage Blog

Robey engines to run on Sunday 20th May

2012-05-15T16:31:00Z

From the Anson Museum in Poynton:

Steam engine running day on Sunday 20th, we hope to have the pair of Robey engines in steam for 1st time too.

The Robey engines are a pair and can be run singly or together. It is a 1926 experimental, high-speed, vertical compound engine with 6.5” and 9.5” bores and a 6” stroke. It was recovered from Chesterfield Technical College c1976 and has been restored to running condition by our volunteers.

Museum open 10 - 5, no additional charge to see steam engine section.

Etruria Museum Closes

2012-05-15T12:18:06Z

Stoke-on-Trent Council has closed the important Etruria Industrial Museum to save money, and has rejected a business plan submitted by a trust set up to take over the running of the museum. This has resulted in the closure of the museum's educational programme and the redundancy of the permanent staff.

However, the council continues to maintain the site and volunteers continue to be active.

Planned steaming events will be held on 2-3 June (Canal Festival), 4-5 August, 6-7 October and 1-2 December (Christmas Steaming).

Witney Model Show - correct location

2012-04-04T08:55:18Z

The address in the printed Steam Heritage Guide for the Witney Model & Collectors Show & Miniature Steam Rally on 20th October is incorrect.

The correct venue is: Kings School, New Yatt Road, Witney, OX29 6TA.

Our apologies for publishing the wrong information.

Etruria Industrial Museum - Easter Steaming Cancelled

2012-04-03T09:14:37Z

Etruria Industrial Museum was due to re-open on 7-8 April for its Easter Steaming weekend. Sadly, due to unforeseen circumstances, this event has had to be re-scheduled. The dedicated volunteer group who maintain and operate the museum's working exhibits will be working hard to get Britain's last steam-powered potter's mill up-and-running as soon as possible. The next confirmed steaming date will be at the Jubilee Canals Festival on the 2-3 June. New dates for the rescheduled steaming are still pending, visitors are advised to keep an eye on the website www.stoke.gov.uk/museum for all the latest updates.

Steam in the Park cancelled

2012-04-02T07:28:55Z

It is with regret that the committee of the Scottish Traction Engine Society has to announce the cancellation of Steam in the Park on 12th & 13th May, which was to be held at Perth Airport, Scone.

"This is due to the initially agreed site size being reduced, at very short notice by 2/3, leaving us with an area too small and unworkable for health and safety reasons.

We have tried extremely hard to find an alternative site for this years event, but have been unable to find a site at an affordable ground rent, so it is with great regret and sadness that we have been left with no choice but to cancel the event.

We would like to thank you all for your support over the past 12 years; it has been greatly appreciated."

Norfolk Steam Rally Cancelled

2012-03-15T15:10:47Z

Since the Guide went to print, we have heard that the Norfolk Steam Rally, at North Walsham Rugby Club on 19th-20th May, has been cancelled.

Steam on the Levels

2012-03-15T15:03:24Z

Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th May 2012

Following on from the great success of “Steam on the Levels” in June last year, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Easton Amos steam powered land drainage machine, Westonzoyland Pumping Station is holding the event again this year.
The Museum has a unique collection of stationary steam engines and pumps, acknowledged to be the largest in the South of England, 2ft narrow gauge railway used for transporting timber to the Marshall portable steam generator and many other unusual items of interest, which together with the Grade II* listed buildings make for a fascinating day out. The Environment Agency’s modern pump house will also be on display.
Over the two days, special guest exhibitors are expected, including Scammell lorry and living wagon, classic vehicles/bikes, tractors, portable engines and the Bridgwater Garrison, an open air living history and re-enactment group.
If you would like to keep up-to-date with what’s happening, please look at the website www.wzlet.org and sign up to the newsletter.

2012 Steam Heritage Guide published!

2012-03-15T09:39:42Z

The 2012 Steam Heritage Guide has arrived from the printers and is being sent out to mail order customers.

Full of information on 830 museums, heritage railways & attractions, as well as 1200 events, this is the 'must have' Guide for this year.

There is a wide variety of places to visit, from railways, to car, lorry and bus museums, maritime museums and steam ships on which you can take a trip, and aviation museums where you can enjoy the sound of powerful engines being run up. All in all, iin this Jubilee year, this Guide is an essential companion to a fantastic year of nostalgia!

To make your visits more economical, several places also offer excellent discount entry vouchers, so don't miss out!

In addition to the Guide being available by mail order, we have managed to secure a deal through our newstrade distributors for copies to be sold through branches of WH Smith, as well as a host of independent retailers.

Trade customers can order direct from us or via Severnside Wholesalers on the Isle of Wight.

Shieldhall set to return in 2012

2012-01-31T13:36:23Z

After a year of setback and hard work both on the ship and behind the scenes significant progress has been made on funding, and offers of assistance to get the SS Shieldhall back to sea. Draft sailing plans are being drawn up to ensure the SS Shieldhall plays her role in this year's programme of extensive maritime celebrations and memorials.

In December 2011 the trustees of the Headley Trust awarded the SS Shieldhall a grant of £32,000 to help fund the repair work to the engine-room framing, this award has significantly raised hopes of getting Shieldhall back to a sea-worthy condition. This will give supporters and the public the opportunity of experiencing again the last steam ship operating in the environment she was designed for - the open sea.

Significant progress is also being made on other grant applications which will help to secure Shieldhall's longer term future and enhance the many learning and recreational opportunities available. A new target has also been set to raise a further £170,000 for the charity by corporate and individual donations.

This is all in stark contrast to the bleak position Shieldhall faced at the same time last year. Increased fuel costs, the affects of the economic climate, the impending cost of its annual sea worthiness certificate, and the devastating news of subsequent major failure.

The first challenge was to raise the intial £80,000 necessary to enable Shieldhall to be dry-docked in Falmouth in May 2011 for her annual survey. This was successfully achieved within days of the deadline with tremendous support from volunteers, organisations and the great British public.

Devastating news followed, during the dry dock survey the Maritime and Coastguard Agency Surveyor identified a number of badly corroded hull frames in the engine-room. The result of 56 years in a very aggressive environment. The passenger certificate was suspended until suitable repairs could be made and all passenger sailings had to be cancelled for 2011 and onwards. The initial cost of repair and re-inspection was massive and the main source of income to keep the ship operational was lost. A repair specification was agreed with the MCA and work is now well under way to regain the passenger certificate in early 2012 funding permitting.

Sailings are planned to start in April, with two Titanic related events on the 10th and 14th April. As a mark of respect for the events of 100 years ago, Shieldhall’s colour scheme has been altered to feature a black hull. This is our memorial to those who were lost on the 15th April 1912, but also to all those lost at sea in peacetime and war. The season will continue with excursions to view the three Cunard Queens in June, the seven ships of the P&O fleet in early July, when P&O celebrate their 175th anniversary and many other events taking place along the south coast in the summer.

Graham Mackenzie Managing Director says. We have had massive support in the last year from around the world, small and large donations. We would like to sincerely thank everyone for their contributions to date. However, there is still a long way to go. We need financial support more than ever either through donations or sailing with us otherwise without sufficient income, we cannot sustain the old lady for the future. To sail ten nautical miles costs £500 in fuel oil! In this year of maritime reflection, and celebration I would encourage all to experience Shieldhall, based in her home port of Southampton Dock Gate 4.

See www.ss-shieldhall.co.uk for all the details.

Refreshments for Surrey train spotters

2012-01-18T15:04:20Z

Just down the road from Gomshall Station, a popular spot to watch steam trains climb Gomshall Bank is Tillings Cafe, an increasingly popular place to drop into for tea, coffee or a bite to eat. This is especially popular in winter when the cold air can encourage one's appetite while waiting on the station. I have done it myself several times and highly recommend Tillings. For more, visit http://www.tillingscafe.co.uk/

Brian Gooding, Editor, Steam Heritage.

Update your entries now!

2011-12-05T09:50:16Z

If you are a show organiser or a museum/attraction marketing person, it's time to update your entry on line. You can log in with your username and password to access your account. If you don't have either, you can register and ask for the account to be transferred to your name. Clearly you must have responsibility from your organisation to do this!

All updated entries received by 15th January will be included in the printed 2012 Steam Heritage Guide, to be published in mid-March 2012, but you can change your on line entry at any time to ensure we have the most up to date information on our searchable database.

To ensure your entry is even more noticeable in the printed Guide, you can do a number of things, such as Highlight your events or take out a display advertisement your event/attraction, in which case we will highlight any events free of charge. You can even advertise on our website - call for details and prices.

Pleasley Pit is the nation’s angel

2011-11-02T17:47:10Z

The historic Pleasley Pit has won a prestigious national award, highlighting the Derbyshire site as the finest restored industrial building in the country.

The Pit has received an English Heritage Angel Award. The awards, which were launched and part funded Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber are probably the country’s most important heritage prize, they celebrate the work of individuals and groups who have saved a significant historic place that was at risk of being lost forever. The award is deserved recognition for The Pleasley Pit Trust, who have worked tirelessly for over fifteen years on the restoration of the former colliery.

Andrew Lloyd Webber chaired the judging panel which comprised Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, author and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg, Charles Moore of the Telegraph, historian Bettany Hughes and the Bishop of London, the Right Revd Richard Chartres.
Andrew Lloyd Webber said: “All 16 shortlisted groups were exceptional and the judges had a hard time deciding between them. But in the end the winners stood out for their passion, perseverance and imagination, for the scale of the challenges they had taken on and for the legacy they leave behind – a secure future for beautiful historic buildings which without them could so easily have simply disappeared.

Work on multi-million pound project to transform a disused colliery site and bring it back into beneficial use for the local community was undertaken with investment from East Midlands Development Agency (emda) via the Homes and Communities Agency’s (HCA’s) National Coalfields Programme. The restoration project has cleaned up the industrial dereliction left over from the closure and demolition of the Colliery in the 1980s, and created a landscaped gateway entrance to the Pleasley Pit Country Park. It has also enabled the restoration of the ancient monument that marks the glory days of the mining era. The site is now in the ownership of the Land Trust who provide the Pleasley Pit Trust with advice and support on the management of the historic site.

The Land Trust has also been given funding for the long term management of the site. As Euan Hall, Chief Executive at the Land Trust, explained: “The Land Trust is a community led organisation. We protect the investment made in restoring sites like Pleasley and ensure that when a community group such as the Pleasely Pit Trust put their heart and soul into a project their work is supported. Vitally we can also say that thanks to emda’s and HCA’s funding, the future of this heritage Angel is secured and we are able to support to the Pit Trust in the management of this valuable site for many future generations.”

Graham Dobbs, Head of Area at the HCA, commented: “It is great that Pleasley Pit has been recognised nationally. Our funding has meant that a former dilapidated site can now be used by the community, and provide a valuable asset that not only pays respect to the mining heritage, but also adds to the long term sustainability of the site.”

The Pleasley remediation project has spanned several phases over the past few years. The initial phase involved the remediation of the land and development work on the site, including landscaping and construction of a car parking facility.
Phase two focused on the conservation of the site’s key features, including the remaining colliery engine houses and the iconic head gears, along with other Grade II listed structures.

The Pleasley Pit Trust has been instrumental in the restoration work. Speaking on their behalf, Bob Metcalfe said: “The changes to the buildings and site are quite unbelievable. 15 years ago the place was a mess floor plates missing, engine parts missing, trees growing through parts of the engines, the remaining part of the roof on the verge of collapse, everything covered in rust and pigeon guano. The future of the buildings and structures is now assured”, says Robert. “A whole generation who will never know ‘how it used to be’ will at least to be able to marvel at these survivors of the great age of steam.”

Industrial Heritage at Risk

2011-10-25T08:29:28Z

Poll shows 80% think it is as Important as Castles and Country Houses

The largest ever research project into the condition of England’s industrial heritage was recently published by English Heritage together with its annual Heritage at Risk Register. It reveals that:

listed industrial buildings are more at risk than almost any other kind of heritage. Almost 11% of grade I and II* industrial buildings are at risk, an extraordinarily high number compared to the 3% of grade I and II* buildings which are at risk in England

40% of listed industrial buildings at risk, such as mills, warehouses and factories, could be put to sustainable and economic new uses. The remaining 60%, typically buildings that contain historic machinery, redundant engineering structures or mining remains, are of immense cultural value and often greatly loved. These have the power to unite local communities and although not easy, there are countless examples that have been saved by committed local groups as conserved sites in the landscape often with public access or as visitor attractions

lead, tin, copper and coal mines are the industrial sites most at risk on Register. Textile mills also make up a large proportion and these buildings are often concentrated in a single place – Lancashire, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire. The remains of 20th century industries are poorly understood, under-appreciated and very much at risk

most industrial heritage sites at risk in the North East are things which are not capable of being converted for new uses, indeed 54% are connected to various forms of mining. Most industrial heritage sites at risk in the East of England are wind and watermills and most in the South East are maritime structures.

A poll of public attitudes to industrial heritage which English Heritage also published today shows that:

almost half the population (43%) do not know when the industrial revolution took place

however, 86% agree that it is important we value and appreciate industrial heritage

80% think it is just as important as our castles and country houses

71% think industrial heritage sites should be reused for modern day purposes as long as their character is preserved

only 9% considered it depressing or an eyesore.

Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, said; “Britain led the way in global industrialisation and as a result we are custodians of the world’s most important industrial heritage. It is, however, one of the elements of our heritage most at risk.

“Forty percent of these buildings could be reused to house new advanced manufacturing, the sorts of technology, green engineering and creative and inventive businesses on which the country’s economic future now depends.

“However, 60% of our industrial heritage won’t ever attract developers and businesses. Its future could be bleak but, as our poll shows, people are passionate about our industrial past and since the 1960s there has been a strong tradition of local groups taking on the preservation of their local industrial heritage.

“Responding to the need to save buildings such as mills, factories and warehouses, we are offering:

Help for developers. A new Developers portal on the English Heritage website will offer advice relevant to re-using industrial buildings and each English Heritage local office will, for the first time, publish a list of 10 “at risk” priority sites, many of which will be industrial. Developers interested in taking these on will get additional help from English Heritage to guide them through the process

Help for owners. A new guide to keeping buildings safe from decay or in temporary use until better economic times, is published today. Vacant Historic Buildings: An Owner’s Guide to Temporary Uses, Maintenance and Mothballing is available from the English Heritage website. This advice will be backed-up by grants, already averaging £2 million a year for urgent repairs

“Responding to the need for support and recognition for groups looking after industrial structures such as the pit head winding gear at collieries, redundant bridges or kilns, furnaces and other ruins in the countryside or industrial buildings with no future use, we are offering:

Help for heritage rescue groups. Where commercial reuse is an unlikely option, a rescue by a charitable Building Preservation Trust might provide the answer. English Heritage, together with the Pilgrim Trust and the J Paul Getty Junior Foundation is putting £180,000 into a three-year industrial “cold spot” grant scheme to kick start rescue projects in places where few are going on. The scheme will be run by the Architectural Heritage Fund, who, together with English Heritage are putting £400,000 into part-funding three people to match-make voluntary heritage groups with industrial buildings needing rescue

Help for industrial sites preserved as visitor attractions. English Heritage is to part-fund an Industrial Heritage Support Officer to set up a network of support and advice for trusts and voluntary groups.

“Looking forward, English Heritage will be doing at least 25 projects over the next few years that will result in the better understanding and protection of our industrial heritage, such as one on the lead mines of Derbyshire, a water mills project in partnership with the Society for Protection of Ancient Buildings, and a project on buildings for the motor car.

“We are also recognising the efforts of local groups and celebrating philanthropic involvement in the first ever English Heritage Angel Awards ceremony on 31st October. The awards, supported by Andrew Lloyd Webber and co-funded by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, include a prize for the best rescue of an industrial heritage building or site at risk.”

The English Heritage research found that the main risks to industrial heritage are:
developers do not consider industrial heritage part of the mainstream property market and can be put off by a site’s scale, possible contamination, conversion costs or, if the building is listed, an exaggerated notion of the restrictions this could impose

current low property values in some parts of the country make redundant industrial buildings unlikely to attract tenants and mean that there is little incentive to repair them

developers are finding it hard to raise finance and there is far less public subsidy available. This leads to more industrial buildings remaining derelict and for longer

owners, particularly in the current economic climate, find themselves struggling to maintain a large historic building on top of the challenges of running the business itself

it can be hard to find funding to maintain sites which can only be preserved as ruins

some of England’s 650 industrial visitor attractions need help with business planning, marketing and interpretation. They also need to ensure against loss of skills and a lack of volunteers in the future.
George Ferguson, architect and entrepreneur, who has a track record of rescuing industrial heritage sites, said: "Old industrial buildings can present a great opportunity for inspiring, and sustainable conversions to a variety of uses. The best examples balance the need for creative re-use and revitalisation with the revelation of the history and character that undoubtedly brings added value to such conversions."

2012 updates

2011-10-25T08:23:45Z

With the end of the 2011 season almost upon us, museums, attractions and events organisers are invited to update their entires on line. Just register (if you haven't already) to access your details and you can update them easily and quickly. You will also receive a reminder either by email or in the post to ask you to ensure we have your details for 2012 so that they may be included in next year's Steam Heritage Guide and on this website which will be fully accessible next year.

We hope you have had a successful year and are looking forward to next.

Cars of the Stars Museum closed

2011-09-28T10:22:27Z

Keswick's 'Cars of the Stars' Museum has closed and the contents sold to a new motor museum in MIami which will become one of the largest pubilc displays of historic vehicles in the world.