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Ellenroad Mill boiler house - IMG 8456

Looking at the operational boiler from the coal bunker. the firemen are resting following filling the feed hoppers with coal

The Ellenroad Steam Museum Elizabethan Way, Newhay, Rochdale, Lancashire, OL16 4LG, is a working steam museum housed in a former ring mill engine house. The museum is based around a 1896 3000 HP mill engine by J. and W. McNaught of ?. The magnificent mill engine is the largest working example still in its original location. This and other impressive engines can be seen running on regular monthly steaming days. The museum also houses related exhibits including a steam powered workshop and a cafe in part of the old boiler house. The mill which the engine served was demolished in the 1980 and the site is home to a modern factory complex.

History[]

Ellenroad Mill engine - Alexandra & the rope drum - IMG 8474

right hand engine Alexandra with the huge rope drive drum behind

The Ellenroad Ring Mill Engine is a preserved stationary steam engine in Milnrow, Greater Manchester. It powered the Ellenroad Ring Mill from 1917, and after the mill's closure the engine is still worked under steam as a museum display.

At 3000 hp, the twin tandem compound engine is possibly the most powerful of the type in preservation. The two engines are named Victoria and Alexandra, multiple ropes around the flywheel drove the line shafts on each floor of the adjacent mill which in turn drove the ring spinning frames. The main mill building has now being demolished.

Name Architect Location Built Demolished Served
(Years)
Ellenroad Mill Stott and Sons Newhey, Milnrow,
Rochdale  SD930116 53°36′04″N 2°06′25″W / 53.601°N 2.107°W / 53.601; -2.107
1890 1982 92
Ellenroad Ring Mill - Newhey
Notes: Five storey fireproof mule mill, brick 40 bays by 18, corner turrets , 3 projecting towers on south front. Damaged by fire in 1916. Rebuilt for ring.Triple expansion horizontal by J & W McNaught, rebuilt as twin tandem 1916. 23.5 in and 43.75 diameter. Corliss valves on high pressure. 28ft rope cylinder. The mill itself is no longer standing, but the engine house, boiler house and chimney still are complete, with the steam engine which is maintained and steamed once a month by the Ellenroad Trust.(in 1982) [1][2]


Events[]

The yard to the boiler hose is also used for events were other vintage machinery and vehicles attend from vintage clubs such as the local branch of the Vintage Motorcycle Club and car clubs.

Exhibits[]

The main engine is the 3000 hp duplex engine and drive drum

Other engines include;

  • ? horizontal engine
  • Whitelees Beam engine - Under installation
  • Browett-Lindley quick forced lubrication engine driving a Mather & Platt 70kw Alternator to provide maintenance lighting for the Ellenroad works when the main engine was not running.
  • Sectioned boiler
  • Steam pumps
  • Steam Economiser by Royles Limited of Manchester
  • Steam driven workshop and blacksmiths shop
  • 1920s electrical distribution board
  • 1950s switch gear
  • Model of the mill
  • recently acquired ? mill engine which is in bits after 30 years in storage by Lancashire Museums service following its rescues from a mill under demolition.

Gallery[]

see also[]

References / sources[]

  • Visit to the museum
  1. Spinning the Web
  2. Ashmore, Owen (1982). The industrial archaeology of North-west England and where to find it. Manchester University Press. ISBN 0-7190-0820-4. 

External links[]

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Coordinates: 53°36′05″N 2°06′25″W / 53.60127°N 2.10690°W / 53.60127; -2.10690

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