Events and Exhibitions
Demonstration of old crafts - dates for 2008
The Craft Centre at the museum was set up by Peter Wood and other volunteers in a shelter by the stream. It combines a shed that belonged to an old scouting friend of Peter’s and sections of the museums old generator house. It consists of the Bullock Smithy (a smithy so named after the forerunner to Hazel Grove); the Bodging Shelter which demonstrates the ancient crafts of forging and bodging; and the Anson Colliery (a dummy mine to recognise the fact that the museum stands on the site of the old mine shaft). The blacksmiths shop has an anvil, forge, furnace and some basic tools.
During the season the centre will be operational on the following dates. Peter will be demonstrating Bodging (the traditional craft of working with green-wood using portable tools including a pole-lathe to turn chair legs, etc). Rod Ellis, another volunteer, will be working at the forge.
Dates:-
Saturday 26th April Sunday 18th May
Saturday 21st June Sunday 13th July
Saturday 9th August Sunday 14th September
Saturday 4th October Saturday 25th October
No additional fee to visit the Craft Centre, normal museum admission charges apply.
Club visits to the museum are keeping us very busy. We have already hosted the Pickering Experimental Engineering & Model Society and the Jowett Car Club (more photographs in Gallery area) and over the next week will have a coach load from Lincolnshire and then on Sunday 13th the Veteran Car Club in their vintage vehicles then in the afternoon the Virago Star Motor Cycle Club.
Diary dates for 2008
More details of the following will appear on our site soon but this overview should help you plan your diary.
Opening of the season, Easter Sunday and Monday 23rd / 24th March
The old shops of Poynton 28th March – 27th July
This exhibition is based about these shops, the hub of village life from a time when all the villagers would have shopped within the village. The shop goods were all in bulk, sold from sacks, etc, not a pre-wrapped item in sight and no plastic packaging. The Grocer’s stores cutting a piece of butter of the large lump and using butter pats to make a rectangular block for the customer to take home.
The Diesel Exhibition, celebrating 150th years of Diesel
10th May - 28th Sept
From Rudolf Diesel to the fastest diesel, with examples of diesel engines along the way, including the oldest and the largest single cylinder in UK. The engine from the JCB DIESELMAX (world’s fastest diesel powered car) will be on display from 10th May until end July.
International Museums Weekend 14th/15th June
Amateur radio special event stations will be set up at as many museums as possible throughout the world. We hope one of our "Friends" will be running a broadcast from the museum again for both days of this weekend.
Fathers Day 15th June
A special offer to celebrate Fathers Day - bring your dad or granddad along today and they will get in free
1000 Engine Rally 21st/22nd June
The Five Counties Vintage Machinery Organisation (FCVMO)aim to take the Astle Park Rally forward as Europe's largest dispaly of Vintage engines. Come and join in the fun. Click here for details.
Midsummer Mingle 24th June
Celebrate Midsummer’s Day and 100 years of the Mirrlees factory at Hazel Grove. Museum open from midday until 20:00.
Armchair Walks around Old Poynton 19th, 20th, 26th, 27th September
Enjoy a sedate stroll from the luxury of a cinema chair, allowing you to stroll back in time and view the streets of old Poynton as they have never seen it before. Roy Dudley (local historian and one of the museum’s Trustees) will be giving an explanatory talk allowing people to understand the richness of the scenes before them. Pre booking recommended. Talks begin at 13:30.
“Turn the Clocks Back” closing weekend 25th / 26th October
Gardner Engine Forum AGM - Saturday 15th March 
For the fourth time the AGM of the Forum will be held at the museum beginning at 14:30.
Although the museum does not officially open for the season until Easter Sunday, the plan is to run several of the engines after the meeting for the attendees. If you are planning to attend the AGM (or require more details) please contact the Chairman of the Forum on 01949 869004.
Exhibition to celebrate 150 years of Diesel
From Rudolf Diesel 
to the fastest diesel 
We will be telling the story of diesel engine development with examples of diesel engines along the way including
the oldest in the UK
and the largest single cylinder in UK
10th May – 28th September 2008
The engine from the 
Dieselmax (the fastest diesel in the world) will be on display at the museum.
More details of the exhibition and souvenir books & DVDs will appear on our website over the coming months
Free video to whet your appetite
While preparing for the Exhibition one of the things we have come across is a terrific archive site that contains lots of documents that will prove of interest to engine enthusiasts and, in particular, some archive footage that is free to view and dowload.
Press here to connect to the Prelinger Archives and view The Diesel Story (approx 20 mins). It traces the development of the diesel from the Otto 'SILENT' gas engine of 1877, through Rudolph Diesel's engine, to the machines that now drive ships, trains, tractors, trucks and cars.
Remember we have some of the early atmospheric engines running here at the museum and the Crossley horizontal it shows (about 3.5 minutes into the film) is on display here too.
