Grane Mill Engine, Boiler restoration with other engines on site.
"The Steam power plant at Grane Mill is owned by the Heritage Trust for the North West on whose behalf the Grane Mill Preservation Group volunteers and associates are working to conserve and repair this unique and important heritage asset to give it the long term future it deserves."
Conserving the Grane Mill site for future generations.
The project to restore this unique Edwardian existing steam power plant was started by David Arnfield (founder of the Northern Mill Engine Society) in 1997. Since then he has been working hard to conserve and repair the 500 HP cross compound SS Stott steam engine and its house together with the Yates and Thom boiler plant, associated buildings, chimney and surrounding part of the site. English Heritage recognised its significance with Scheduled Monument status. Its successor, Historic England, have it at the top of the NW Heritage at Risk Register and have extended designation to the whole mill site at grade II*. With help from a small varying band of volunteers over the years, long term help from Anthony Pilling since 2006 and the assistance of Josh Southward who has joined the team to look after the boiler plant side of the project.
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The Grane Mill Manufacturing Company started to weave at the present site in 1907 and at it's height had over 1000 Lancashire looms, the company went into liquidation in 1978. The mill site and equipment was then bought by Gordon Briggs who has been working to restore the other remaining parts of the site that he currently owns, that is the Yard, remainder of the North Light Shed, original Board Room and Pay/General Office as well as the late 1930's Office which was inserted over the Weavers’ Entrance between the Offices and the Boiler House. He is hoping to open a vintage transport museum utilising his section of the mill and a trust has been set up to achieve this but at present this is not open to the public.
The buildings that contain the Engine and Boiler plant are now owned by the Heritage Trust for the North West and are being restored by a small but determined band of volunteers with the ultimate aim of opening to the public on a regular basis with the main engine, some looms and other smaller engines on site working regularly under steam. Presently the steam plant is opened to the public each National Mills weekend in May and for the Heritage Open Days each September, when smaller engines are worked by compressed air, and the main engine turned over by electric motor. Otherwise access is by arrangement with the Grane Mill Preservation Group on working Sundays subject to the availability of the volunteers who also assist with the running of other preserved stationary steam engines. Arrangements can be made through our Facebook page: Grane Mill Restoration Project.
This 2018 photograph of the mill yard shows the North Light Warehouse in the right foreground where the finished cloth was inspected, prepared for dispatch and brought out though the red roller shutter door in the centre of the picture. The building with the clock on the gable wall is the Board Room and Manager’s Office first then the General Office. The next building at a higher first floor level is the later office from the late 1930's. Behind that is the Boiler House at a right angle to the offices containing the 2 Lancashire boilers. The Engine House is next with the high slate roof again running at a right angle to the office. The chimney, which is 180ft high, displays the mill company name. At the far end of the yard can be seen the remaining side wall of the preparation area behind the blocked up large door where the spun cotton yarn entered the mill. This was the twist dept. and behind the window next to it was a toilet forming part of the Tape/sizing dept. as shown in the Mill plan on this website.