Anson Engine Museum Poynton

UK Museums: Anson Engine Museum, Poynton

Anson Engine Museum, Poynton

The Anson Engine Museum, in Poynton, close to Stockport and Manchester in the north west of England, is a fun engine museum for both children and adults alike. It houses some of the world's rarest engines of various types - steam, oil, gas, diesel and petrol. The museum first opened in 1989.

Follow the signs to the entrance of the museum. — Follow the signs to the entrance of the museum

History

The site of the museum is the former Anson colliery in Poynton.

The museum is the lifelong labor of love of Les Cawley and Geoff Challinor and their many years of hard work collecting and restoring engines from all over the country.

The Anson Engine Museum is a registered charity run by a group of enthusiastic volunteers.

The entrance to the museum. — The entrance to the museum

One of the over 250 engines on display. — One of the over 250 engines on display, Anson Engine Museum

Exhibits

The aim of the museum is to demonstrate and explain the history of the internal combustion engine.

Altogether there are over 250 gas and oil engines on display, many maintained in working order, with volunteers on hand to explain their use and answer any questions.

Steam engines were first used to pump water from the many coal mines in the north of England. Later steam was replaced by gas, diesel and petrol engines.

The steam section contains two Robey engines, an A frame and a beam engine as well as a Stott engine that powered a cotton wadding mill in nearby Hazel Grove.

Wall panels explain the engines and the men who invented them such as the German engineers Nicholas Otto (1832-1891) and Rudolf Diesel (1858-1913).

An engine produced by the Crossley Brothers of Manchester. — An engine produced by the Crossley Brothers of Manchester

Highlights of the collection include the oldest diesel engine in the UK, Mirrlees No1, a very rare Griffin 6-stroke engine and a 63 ton Ruston & Hornsby used at Ealing Studios.

The museum website (see below) has detailed information on the engineering companies that manufactured the engines on display. These include Bamford Engines, Crossley Brothers, Davey, Paxman & Co, Mirrlees Blackstone (still based in nearby Hazel Grove), R A Lister and Co Ltd and Vulcan Foundry at Newton-le-Willows.

The main building includes the museum shop with a small cafe for coffee, tea, cake and light snacks. There is free Wifi close to the reception.

Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business. — Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business

Access - Getting There

Anson Road
Poynton
Stockport, Cheshire SK12 1 TD
Tel: 01625 874 426
www: enginemuseum.org

Hours

Open every Friday 10 am to 4 pm from April until the end of October and occasionally for steam weekends throughout the year. (check the website above for details)

Admission is currently 8 GBP for adults and 2.50 GBP for children aged 13-16.

There is a small museum cafe and shop on site.

A collection of dials. — A collection of dials

Public Transport

Take the 391 or 392 bus to the Boar's Head in Higher Poyton near the Macclesfield Canal from Stockport Interchange or Hazel Grove. The 391 and 392 buses run between Macclesfield and Stockport.

Middlewood Station on the Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton Line is actually the nearest train station, but there is no public transport to the museum from here. Walk south on the Middlewood Way until you get to the Boar's Head pub. From here the museum is 10 minutes on foot. Middlewood Station is one stop from Hazel Grove Station coming from Stockport Station and one stop from Disley coming from Buxton Station.