National Museum of Industrial History

Ye Olde Photographer became aware this museum occasionally has a run day; generally about four times a year. For this run date of 10 December 2023, a trip to get some video seemed highly desirable.

The obvious primary item of interest was seeing the Snow Steam Pump Works water pump run, a 115 ton hunk of heavy machinery. But other equipment was run including a motorized ribbon loom, a steam operated printing press, and a number of model stationary steam engines that came from a donated collection. There was also a demo turning some metal stock on a sizable lathe.

Some of the resulting video may be seen via Ye Olde Photographer's WEBSITE.

All steam gear was operated using compressed air, as there are no suitable boiler facilities in the museum, and the legal and insurance (and staff training) requirements for having live steam represent a significant obstacle. For equipment the size of the Snow pump a "portable" compressor on a truck supplied air. At the outside connection to the supply pipe the compressor operator had a steam locomotive chime whistle tapped in so occasionally we could all think there was a train around somewhere. The smaller engines used air from a small compressor like might be used for tools.

B&W shots at the bottom of this gallery were taken with Ye Olde Photographer's early 1980s vintage Yashica Mat 124G twin lens reflex camera.