Kelham Island
We stopped off for a quick wander round Kelham Island on the way back from Derbyshire.
This is somewhere I have wanted to have a look round for some time, and certainly want to go back and spend a bit more time in. I am of course a sucker for converted industrial areas, and of course beer, both of which feature heavily in the appeal of Kelham Island. It is, if you beleive the hype “now considered one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the UK, and even the world” – I will reserve judgement on this, but it’s certainly interesting to look round.
One of the key attractions is the Kelham Island Museum – I also love a good industrial museum and this did not dissapoint – though I must say I have never seen such a gallery devoted to exhibits of tools – but then sheffield is of course renowned for its steel.
The Giant Bessmer converter outside is certainly a site to behold. We were also lucky enough to see the 1905 River Don Engine, in action, a 12,000 horsepower (9 MW) steam engine, which originally powered a local armour plate rolling mill.
