Woodhorn (Museum)
Coordinates: 55°11′17″N 1°33′00″W / 55.188°N 1.550°W
Woodhorn, officially Woodhorn - Northumberland Museum, Archives and Country Park and formerly known as Woodhorn Colliery Museum, is located in Ashington, Northumberland. The museum depicts the lives of coal mine workers and features original buildings and equipment from the former colliery, including the two headframes, a winding house, other engine houses, a steam winding engine, stables, a building with ventilation equipment, a blacksmith and joiners shop, and the office. Several buildings contain original equipment and mining exhibits, while others have been converted to museum exhibit areas or facilities.[1]
In addition to exhibits about the mine and the life of a miner, the museum features a permanent collection of art created by the Ashington Group. There are also changing exhibits of history, art and science.
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[edit] Woodhorn Railway
Woodhorn Railway is a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge railway at Woodhorn in the Queen Elizabeth II Country Park. There are two preserved locomotives one, a Hunslet Locomotive which was built in 1975, for work at Vane Tempest colliery in Seaham. The second is a German Schoma locomotive, called Edward Stanton, which help around the factory where the concrete blocks were being made for the Channel Tunnel. There are also three carriages called Eddie, Harry and Ken. They and the Schoma are named after original members of the society. The park also features a 40-acre (160,000 m2) lake and hiking and biking trails. There is no website for the railway, but they have an email address which is available from the staff at the railway on all running days. The railway also offers discounts for special events, e.g. Birthdays or Weddings. Railway staff advise walkers and young children to stay off the railway at all times, especially at running times.
[edit] History
The original colliery in the village of Woodhorn opened in 1894 and closed in 1981.[2] The Woodhorn Colliery Museum opened in 1989, using the original pit buildings.[3] The pit yard was designated a scheduled ancient monument in 1999.[4]
From 2002-2006 new construction created a new museum building that includes the Northumberland County Archives.[5] The building is called "The Cutter", and the design was inspired by coal cutting machines.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.pastperfect.org.uk/sites/woodhorn/index.html Past Perfect: Woodhorn Colliery
- ^ http://www.showcaves.com/english/gb/mines/WoodhornColliery.html Woodhorn Colliery
- ^ http://www.pastperfect.org.uk/sites/woodhorn/index.html
- ^ http://www.e-architect.co.uk/newcastle/woodhorn_colliery.htm Woodhorn Colliery Museum, Northumberland by RMJM Architects : Visitor Centre & Archive
- ^ http://www.urbanrealm.co.uk/buildings/171/Woodhorn:_Northumberland_Museum,_Archives_and_Country_Park.html
- ^ http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/uk/days-out-woodhorn-northumberland-423092.html
[edit] External links
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