Anson Engine Museum — Attraction in Poynton-with-Worth

Massive disappointment. We contacted the museum to find out when the most internal combustion engines would be running (we aren't interested in steam), and they said on a steaming day. We waited until the next steaming day (August bank holiday), drove two hours to get there, and paid ten quid each to get in. There were barely any volunteers present, and just six engines were running! (It went up to seven later in the afternoon.) We've visited in the past and it was buzzing with volunteers, visitors, and running engines. Frankly, this time we feel ripped off. Engines are designed to run - they are dynamic machines and only come to life when they are running. The collection of engines is tremendously varied, but dozens after dozens just sit there, piled up on benches, stuffed into corners and doing nothing. Even more strangely, many are properly mounted on concrete beds and plumbed in to fuel and exhaust, but STILL aren't running. What a terrible waste. And what a terrible waste of twenty quid to get in. If it were a commercial outfit I'd be asking for my money back. As it is, they can keep the money, but they really need to do some deep thinking about what they are trying to be, and ESPECIALLY on their obligations to their paying customers. The default should be that all engines capable of running should be running; only faulty ones or those not plumbed in yet should be static. Yes, I know you are all volunteers, but when you charge ten quid a head for entry, you have...

Absolutely brilliant place for engine lovers! I was expecting something modest, a few engines in a dusty shed. Little did I know, such a positive surprise! In a clearing in a forest, there is a complex of halls, sheds, hangars containing what seems to be an endless amount of engines. All internal combustion except for the steam hall. It covers all periods, from the very start until modern times. And, what is more: they are in running order, well, most of them, and they are regularly started and running. An army of extremely competent volunteers is on the site and regularly starts the one or the other engine. They even start the behemoths in the outside sheds, quite impressive. At which point you realise that engines have different "voices", clicks, clangs, sighs, pure music for the connoisseur, the engineers explain why they sometimes miss a beat, what each frequency tells about the engine, they can answer any question. One can easily spend a day there, taking a break in the friendly cafeteria. Just check the dates, it's not open every day. Highly...

Been wanting to see this Gem of a museum for a while, first visit and I can not praise the volunteer staff for their kindness and absolute brilliant hospitality enough! , the museum is alive with running machines in all areas!, I spent 5 hours there with my wife and 13 year old Lad and only glanced at what was there !, had a lovely chat with the Blacksmith who was a world of Knowledge and experience and gave my lad his time to explain what and why he was doing , we travelled 1 hour 20mins from Leeds and genuinely can not wait to go back again, please check for the steam dates as that will not disappoint , thanks again Anson museum from me and the...