The Kelham Island Museum, Sheffield
An industrial museum in Sheffield which includes one of the last three Bessemer Converters in the world (pictured) - looking like a structure from a steampunk science-fiction movie.
Kelham Island Museum sits on a man-made island in Sheffield which was created in the 12th century during the construction of a mill race. The site, therefore, has been a centre of industry in Sheffield for many, many generations.
The museum is housed in buildings previously occupied by a power station set up to produce electricity to power the city’s trams.
Before this, there was an iron foundry here, operational between 1829 and the 1890s. The museum draws on this rich heritage to tell the story of science and industry in Sheffield.
There are galleries dedicated to the themes of transport, tools and brewing, plus Little Mesters Street – a row of recreated workshop spaces.
Outside is England's largest surviving Bessemer converter - a device for the mass production of steel from molten pig iron.
Another highlight of the museum is the mighty River Don Engine, a 12,000 horsepower steam engine, which originally powered a local armour plate rolling mill. The engine is remarkable for its ability to change direction very quickly, a feature that was necessary for the efficient rolling of heavy steel.
The engine rolled steel for nuclear reactors towards the end of its life - it was last used in production in 1978 and can frequently be seen in action at the museum.
Image is by David Dixon
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