Take a Bank Holiday Weekend tour of Sunderland's Ryhope Engines Museum

The doors Ryhope Engines Museum will be thrown open to visitors this weekend.
Ryhope Engines Museum, pictured last month.Ryhope Engines Museum, pictured last month.
Ryhope Engines Museum, pictured last month.

The Sunderland site, owned by Northumbrian Water, is expecting to welcome thousands of people this bank holiday weekend for its second public steaming event of 2019.

Ryhope Engines Museum is offering visitors everything this Victorian water works has to offer and the rare chance to see it in full operation.

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The volunteer-run museum was built in 1868 and once supplied drinking water to Sunderland and the surrounding areas for 100 years.

Louise Hunter, corporate communications director at Northumbrian Water, said: "Ryhope Engines Museum is a wonderful place to visit and is full of amazing heritage right here on our doorstep for anyone wanting to visit.

"We're immensely proud of this historic landmark and of the partnership we have with the volunteers who work exceptionally hard helping us to preserve this special site for generations to come."

Every year, the museum opens to the public for steaming events around Bank Holiday weekends, when visitors can see the site in operation thanks to dedicated volunteers who help Northumbrian Water preserve it.

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The site also opens to the public as a static exhibit every Sunday, from Easter until the end of December, between 2pm and 5pm.

Visitors can expect to see two 100 horsepower beam engines built by R & W Hawthorn, three Lancashire boilers dating from 1908 - two of which are in regular use -, a blacksmith's forge with demonstrations, a waterwheel, numerous steam engines, pumps and waterworks accessories.

Keith Bell, chairman of Ryhope Engines Trust, said: "Our volunteers are working hard to get everything ready for this opening weekend and are looking forward to welcoming visitors through our doors.

"We're hoping to beat the record number of visitors we had last month when we welcomed almost 4,000 people to this unique heritage site over the Easter bank holiday weekend.

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"Opening to the public would not be possible without the amazing support of our volunteers, Northumbrian Water and local partners so a big thank you to them."

Ryhope Engines Museum is open from Saturday to Monday between 11am and 4pm, with free parking which is limited.

Improved access is available for visitors with mobility issues and parents with pushchairs.

For those wanting to really get involved, arrive just before 11am on each of the opening days and help the volunteers start up the engines for the day.

The postcode for the site is SR2 0ND and for more information about the museum please visit www.ryhopeengines.org.uk or follow them on Facebook or Twitter @RyhopeEngines