Sunday 5th October was the day we had set for our Autumn Leaves Run, and the destination was Bolton Steam Museum. We met at Craggies Farm Shop near Halifax for a coffee and bacon buttie. Then headed off to the museum over the moors, down through the little towns of Lancashire.

The Museum is in the centre of Bolton, in one corner of Morrisons car park of all places. However it turns out the location of Morrisons used to be the site of one of the larger mills in Bolton, and the building housing the museum part of it.

The Museum is full of static steam engines that would have powered the mills back in the day. To say it is a fantastic piece of our industrial heritage is an understatement. Most of the engines run under steam power from a central boiler, and the museum holds steam days 5 or 6 times a year. The other times the engines run via electric motors.

The whole place has been restored, and is maintained by a group of elderly volunteers, I'm not being disrespectful here, the depth of knowledge and understanding of the machinery is breathtaking, and it is a worry when these guys finally have to pack in, what will happen to the place? It should somehow be kept going.

If you get a chance to go, then go, you will not be disappointed.