Thwaite Mills

[Mac of Cygnet]

Came past Twaite Mills Industrial Museum east of Leeds this morning, and the (former?) visitor mooring pontoon had 'Private - No Mooring' notices all along it. The 'Welcome to Twaite Mills' signs were still there, although rather faded. Is the museum still open, and if so how does one visit it from the water?

[pearley]

Thats the pontoons on the 'downstream' side. I think its always been like this. There was a bit in WW saying how these moorings had been provided including a photo with the No Mooring sign prominent. When I complained I was told those moorings were for commercial boats and for open days. Something about nobody been around to open the fence on other days and it being a BW stipulation. The visitor mooring - singular - is upstream of the mill buildings. Unfortunately it is just round the bend so you're almost past it by the time you realise it is there.

 

I wonder how many extra visitors they would get if it was easier to stop.

 

A great pity as they look like good overnight moorings with elec hookup.

 

Regards

Pete

[PeterScott]

Thwaite Mills Industrial Museum east of Leeds this morning, ...visitor mooring pontoon had 'Private - No Mooring' notices all along it.

 

Opening arrangements: Clicky

Pictures from June30/July1 boat gathering this year: Clicky Hopefully there will be another next year

Quote from email: "2100 x 1050mm sign on new galvanised posts £528.59" - and LA museum-budgets being what they are ...

 

We made special arrangements for the boat gathering to allow overnight occupation of boats moored on the floating pontoon there: being an island (give or take a road viaduct at the far end of the site), access is limited and the road bridge is locked closed overnight. The visitor mooring is direct to rings on the canalside - not a floating pontoon - and is outside the fenced area of the museum. Picture of workboat there at the Boat Gathering.

 

Suggest it's best to tel: 0113 276 2887 or Email: thwaite.mills@leeds.gov.uk to work out the next visit!

[Andy_B]

I've been in touch with the keeper responsible for Thwaite Mill after having visited by boat on Saturday (May 14 2022).  We were welcomed warmly by museum staff although resident boaters were mildly hostile. 

 

The keeper says the "mooring closed" signs were a covid matter and will be removed shortly.  He's also undertaken to review signage on the waterside in general so that the residential and visitor moorings are more clearly differentiated, and brief the residents accordingly.  He confirms visits by water ARE welcome. There's about 30m of visitor mooring space, just upstream of the residential moorings. 

 

Bear in mind that the museum is open to the public only in the afternoons of Saturdays and Sundays.

[David Mack]

I haven't been to Thwaite Mill for some years. Have they got their enormous 4 cylinder semi diesel engine running yet?

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Andy_B said:

I've been in touch with the keeper responsible for Thwaite Mill after having visited by boat on Saturday (May 14 2022).  We were welcomed warmly by museum staff although resident boaters were mildly hostile. 

 

The keeper says the "mooring closed" signs were a covid matter and will be removed shortly.  He's also undertaken to review signage on the waterside in general so that the residential and visitor moorings are more clearly differentiated, and brief the residents accordingly.  He confirms visits by water ARE welcome. There's about 30m of visitor mooring space, just upstream of the residential moorings. 

 

Bear in mind that the museum is open to the public only in the afternoons of Saturdays and Sundays.

 

We didn't have Covid in 2012 (the time of the original post)

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

We didn't have Covid in 2012 (the time of the original post)

They were just ahead of the game, good planning and forward thinking 😁

[Andy_B]

1 hour ago, David Mack said:

I haven't been to Thwaite Mill for some years. Have they got their enormous 4 cylinder semi diesel engine running yet?

No. It all seems a bit quiet and minimal at the moment. I think Leeds is suffering generally from lack of funding.  Probably find the moorers sre all that's keeping it running!

[MartinC]

Visited just pre-Covid. Total confusion about the upstream visitor mooring. It appeared from the sign that it was bookable. Duly booked and exchanged emails. On arrival it was occupied and the duty warden said that it was not bookable.

[LadyG]

Omg,  I understand that the Mill is opening from Thursday 28th, or tomorrow depending where you get your info, plus there will be problems mooring up? No info on website as far as I can see.

I think I'll be going back to the L&L, is it open?

Edited July 26, 2022 by LadyG

[Andy_B]

L&L is closed at Gargrave.  We only got through Bingley by luck - they were talking of only letting hire boats through.

Thwaite opening times are a bit crazy but there are reasons.  The mooring should be okay.  Ignore the residential ones hatched in orange here and the sign (orange X which says these are visitor moorings.  Moor where I indicate in the green box and walk under the trees to the hip-roofed building in the middle of the photo which is the visitor centre. Ignore anyone telling you it is not allowed and any old signs.  I have this from the museum Curator himself.  I would be interested to hear your experience as the Curator promised to fix the situation.  The Mill is amazing - not so much a museum as a piece of history frozen in time.