LONG WEEKEND 3-6 MAY 2019
EAST MIDLANDS
FRIDAY 3RD MAY
We met at Lime Street and Hamilton Square with 13 in the minibus (plus luggage) and 10 others in four cars. We drove down the M6 then cut across to Ilkeston where we all met up at the Erewash Museum. We arrived between 1100 and 1130 and were able to spend over an hour looking at the exhibits which included a gallery on Stanton Steelworks (who were responsible for some sections of the Mersey Tunnel) and also saw a reconstructed kitchen, sweetshop and schoolroom as well as various other galleries.
Many availed themselves of the tea room and at 12:45 we left to head for the Gate Inn in Awsworth where we had a buffet booked and were to meet our guides for the afternoon. The buffet was substantial and of very high quality and all left the Inn well filled! We also met our guides Kieron and Colin who were to give us a comprehensive tour of Bennerley Viaduct. We parked by the Nottingham Canal and walked along the towpath to a viewpoint where we could get good photos of the viaduct and appreciate its size and beauty. Some then walked across the valley whilst two cars and the minibus drove to the other end of the viaduct.
Here we looked at its construction and were then able to take a walk up to the top of it (albeit with a bit of rope work) before returning to the vehicles and driving to our hotel, the Best Western, Westminster on Mansfield Road. We had a couple of hours to settle in before our meal at 1900 which was to be followed by a talk on the Bennerley Viaduct by Kieran Lee one of our afternoon guides. We had a very good three course meal and an excellent talk by Kieran who has a great love for the viaduct and, hopefully, it will be open to the public by next year. At the end of the talk Kieran was thanked and we adjourned to bed.
SATURDAY 4TH MAY
We had a very good breakfast (buffet style) and departed at 09:00 for the Canalside Heritage Centre. They had another breakfast waiting for us but we politely declined! Many had a cuppa and we looked round the old cottage and the Canal Exhibition. The time line was much appreciated.
We then moved on to Ruddington to visit the Framework Knitters Museum. This was a real gem! We were met with tea and biscuits then had an introductory talk and a film. We then split in to three groups and went around the museum. We toured the cottage seeing how the workers lived, saw how the larger machines worked and also had a talk on sock making whilst looking at these small machines. We also had some free time to look at the rest of the site and buy souvenirs. I am sure that this is the only museum dedicated to Framework Knitters and was greatly appreciated.
We then drove the short distance to Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre which includes the Great Central Railway (Nottingham). We ate at the canteen (who coped very well with a bus load) and then had a look at some of the exhibits before going on a train ride to Loughborough Junction. This was almost 90 minutes long through pleasant countryside and on its conclusion we had a final 40 minutes for a look at buses, model railways, restoration work or have another cuppa! Then it was back to the hotel and rest before dinner.
After another very good meal we had a talk by Julian Ellis chair of the trustees of the Framework Knitters Museum on Framework Knitters and Luddites. It was a very interesting talk and complimented our visit very well.
SUNDAY 5TH MAY
We left at 09:30 and our first stop was Green’s Mill which dates from 1807 and is also a Science Centre for schools. The reason for this was that George Green, son of the builder, apart from a Miller, he was an accomplished Mathematician. Green’s Theorem is used to this day.
After looking round the Mill we moved on to Papplewick Pumping Station where there was a steaming day and vintage car rally. Our first visit was a tour of the underground reservoir which was spectacular. It was built in 9 months but only lasted 27 years before cracking caused its replacement. After a 45 minute tour we then had 3 hours free time in which to eat and explore the site. There was the Boiler House with Lancashire Boilers, the Engine House with two beam engines (in steam), a miniature railway (for kids of all ages), the Stanton and Limby engines, a display of World War II fire fighting, quite a few old cars and motor cycles plus a variety of stalls.
At 15:30 we decided to move on to Darley Mill where Roy had done some excavating a few years ago. He gave us a quick guided tour of the site before we continued on to the hotel. After another very nice dinner we had the annual quiz. This year it was set and conducted by your webmaster and there was a lot of hilarity and some good answers. John Ryan was the eventual winner. Afterwards we discussed future trips and the good thing was that everyone wants to come again so "Watch this space"!
MONDAY 6TH MAY
We were all packed and away just after 09:30 and headed for the town centre encountering some problems with a police incident that had closed a main thoroughfare. More by luck than anything else we all met and went for a walk to see the station and some canalside warehouses which are now offices.
We then headed for Woolaton Hall which has the Nottingham Industrial Museum in the stables. There is a good collection and we had nearly two hours to look round and also eat! There was a good collection of lace making machinery and also of steam engines. There was also wireless equipment and, of course, stuff on Boots and Raleigh Cycles.
We then drove north to Pleasley Pit which had stayed open specially for us. We were split in to two groups and had a guided tour lasting nearly 90 minutes. Our leaders, Neville and Martin took pains to explain everything to us and their collection of artifacts was the best many of us had seen. We finished off with as cuppa and a group photograph before heading back to Merseyside. The weather was kind to us as were the people we met in our visits We can now look forward to next year!!
EAST MIDLANDS
FRIDAY 3RD MAY
We met at Lime Street and Hamilton Square with 13 in the minibus (plus luggage) and 10 others in four cars. We drove down the M6 then cut across to Ilkeston where we all met up at the Erewash Museum. We arrived between 1100 and 1130 and were able to spend over an hour looking at the exhibits which included a gallery on Stanton Steelworks (who were responsible for some sections of the Mersey Tunnel) and also saw a reconstructed kitchen, sweetshop and schoolroom as well as various other galleries.
Many availed themselves of the tea room and at 12:45 we left to head for the Gate Inn in Awsworth where we had a buffet booked and were to meet our guides for the afternoon. The buffet was substantial and of very high quality and all left the Inn well filled! We also met our guides Kieron and Colin who were to give us a comprehensive tour of Bennerley Viaduct. We parked by the Nottingham Canal and walked along the towpath to a viewpoint where we could get good photos of the viaduct and appreciate its size and beauty. Some then walked across the valley whilst two cars and the minibus drove to the other end of the viaduct.
Here we looked at its construction and were then able to take a walk up to the top of it (albeit with a bit of rope work) before returning to the vehicles and driving to our hotel, the Best Western, Westminster on Mansfield Road. We had a couple of hours to settle in before our meal at 1900 which was to be followed by a talk on the Bennerley Viaduct by Kieran Lee one of our afternoon guides. We had a very good three course meal and an excellent talk by Kieran who has a great love for the viaduct and, hopefully, it will be open to the public by next year. At the end of the talk Kieran was thanked and we adjourned to bed.
SATURDAY 4TH MAY
We had a very good breakfast (buffet style) and departed at 09:00 for the Canalside Heritage Centre. They had another breakfast waiting for us but we politely declined! Many had a cuppa and we looked round the old cottage and the Canal Exhibition. The time line was much appreciated.
We then moved on to Ruddington to visit the Framework Knitters Museum. This was a real gem! We were met with tea and biscuits then had an introductory talk and a film. We then split in to three groups and went around the museum. We toured the cottage seeing how the workers lived, saw how the larger machines worked and also had a talk on sock making whilst looking at these small machines. We also had some free time to look at the rest of the site and buy souvenirs. I am sure that this is the only museum dedicated to Framework Knitters and was greatly appreciated.
We then drove the short distance to Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre which includes the Great Central Railway (Nottingham). We ate at the canteen (who coped very well with a bus load) and then had a look at some of the exhibits before going on a train ride to Loughborough Junction. This was almost 90 minutes long through pleasant countryside and on its conclusion we had a final 40 minutes for a look at buses, model railways, restoration work or have another cuppa! Then it was back to the hotel and rest before dinner.
After another very good meal we had a talk by Julian Ellis chair of the trustees of the Framework Knitters Museum on Framework Knitters and Luddites. It was a very interesting talk and complimented our visit very well.
SUNDAY 5TH MAY
We left at 09:30 and our first stop was Green’s Mill which dates from 1807 and is also a Science Centre for schools. The reason for this was that George Green, son of the builder, apart from a Miller, he was an accomplished Mathematician. Green’s Theorem is used to this day.
After looking round the Mill we moved on to Papplewick Pumping Station where there was a steaming day and vintage car rally. Our first visit was a tour of the underground reservoir which was spectacular. It was built in 9 months but only lasted 27 years before cracking caused its replacement. After a 45 minute tour we then had 3 hours free time in which to eat and explore the site. There was the Boiler House with Lancashire Boilers, the Engine House with two beam engines (in steam), a miniature railway (for kids of all ages), the Stanton and Limby engines, a display of World War II fire fighting, quite a few old cars and motor cycles plus a variety of stalls.
At 15:30 we decided to move on to Darley Mill where Roy had done some excavating a few years ago. He gave us a quick guided tour of the site before we continued on to the hotel. After another very nice dinner we had the annual quiz. This year it was set and conducted by your webmaster and there was a lot of hilarity and some good answers. John Ryan was the eventual winner. Afterwards we discussed future trips and the good thing was that everyone wants to come again so "Watch this space"!
MONDAY 6TH MAY
We were all packed and away just after 09:30 and headed for the town centre encountering some problems with a police incident that had closed a main thoroughfare. More by luck than anything else we all met and went for a walk to see the station and some canalside warehouses which are now offices.
We then headed for Woolaton Hall which has the Nottingham Industrial Museum in the stables. There is a good collection and we had nearly two hours to look round and also eat! There was a good collection of lace making machinery and also of steam engines. There was also wireless equipment and, of course, stuff on Boots and Raleigh Cycles.
We then drove north to Pleasley Pit which had stayed open specially for us. We were split in to two groups and had a guided tour lasting nearly 90 minutes. Our leaders, Neville and Martin took pains to explain everything to us and their collection of artifacts was the best many of us had seen. We finished off with as cuppa and a group photograph before heading back to Merseyside. The weather was kind to us as were the people we met in our visits We can now look forward to next year!!
Hover above images for captions.