 The
Gloucester Waterways Museum is housed in Llanthony Warehouse on
Gloucester Docks on the Gloucester and Sharpness Ship Canal. It
was the last great corn store to be opened on the docks in 1873,
Gloucester being a centre for the import of foreign grain since
1840.
The seven storey warehouse, along with others
on the dock, was redeveloped in the 1980's and now has three
floors of museum exhibits. It concentrates on providing
interesting and interactive displays covering the whole range of
waterways related topics. You enter the museum through a replica
lock chamber complete with dripping water and other exhibits
make use of computers and videos to get over some of the taste
of what it was like to live and work on the waterways.
There is an historic boat collection which
includes narrowboats, river barges, a canal tug and a steam
powered dredger. There are also a steam crane and heavy oil
engines in the setting of a canal repair yard, complete with
working machine shop, forge and weighbridge. |
There are often teams of
volunteers carrying out restoration works. At weekends there are
demonstrations by craft workers, modellers and artists. There is a tea room, souvenir and craft shops
and specialist bookshop.
45
minute cruises run daily 2-18 April and 1 May – 30 August,
September and October they run on weekends.
Opening times are different
throughout the year and subject to change next year – please to
refer to their website for up to date information.
http://www.nwm.org.uk/gloucester/
Telephone number – 01452 318200(Graphics and information courtesy of
Gloucester Waterways Museum) |
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