Ellenroad Steam Museum

About the museum

Ellenroad Mill at Newhey near Rochdale was a cotton spinning mill that ran for about ninety years before it was demolished in 1982. The engine house, boiler house and chimney were saved, and the engine that powered the mill was kept.

The main engine is a pair of steam engines named Victoria and Alexandra, built by J and W McNaught of Rochdale and later rebuilt to give more power. Rated at about 3,000 horsepower, it is described as the largest working steam mill engine in the world and drove the mill through rope drives, supplied with steam by Lancashire boilers.

The volunteers of the Ellenroad Steam Museum Society also look after the Whitelees beam engine from 1841, which was built in Rochdale, and the Irene engine, a single-cylinder horizontal engine of about 1860 that the society bought in 2016 and restored with volunteer labour. In recent years structural problems in the old building have limited what the museum can show, and the engines are not currently steamed.

Highlights

• Victoria and Alexandra, a 3,000 horsepower twin mill engine
• Whitelees beam engine of 1841
• Irene horizontal engine, restored by volunteers
• Boiler house, sprinkler pump room and 1910 workshop
• Engine house café and souvenir shop

Permanent exhibition

• Ellenroad engines and boiler house – The preserved mill engine house with the Victoria and Alexandra engines, the boiler house with Lancashire boilers, the beam engine room, the sprinkler pump room and a 1910 workshop.

Operated by

Ellenroad Steam Museum Society

Admission & discounts

The museum website does not publish a standard admission price; entry to the 4 October 2026 car show open day was £2.50. A regional tourism listing gives a guide price of £7.50 for adults on steaming days, so check before travelling.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Access is limited because of the nature of the site, but there is a chair lift.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The site is at Newhey, near junction 21 of the M62; a regional tourism listing advises taking the A640 towards Shaw, passing under the motorway bridge and turning first right, then looking for the chimney.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Light refreshments and hot drinks are served in the engine house café, and there is a souvenir shop, an outdoor picnic area and toilets.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit