Press Releases

A popular event in the National Slate Museum’s events calendar will get a relaunch this month!

The museum’s Model Railway Show - which takes place during the February half term - is being developed and relaunched as ENGINEOUS! 

It will keep many of the show’s popular activities -  such as model railway layouts and rides on miniature engines -  but  will also add to the event with a whole host of hands-on activities to make the most of the site’s industrial nature – celebrating its 150^th birthday - as well as improving the event for the future! 

New activities include a show by the Techniquest Glyndwr crew all about energy forces, the creation and racing of K'NEX cars and even making LEGO windmills with Technocamps. There’s a chance to become a ‘Joule thief’ in electricity circuit workshops – and there are daily challenges including the waterwheel and incline challenge. Said Lowri Ifor, Events officer for the Museum:

“The show attracts hundreds of visitors every year and is a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages to enjoy the site - but we wanted to introduce new events which would tie in with the show’s industrial nature and reveal some of the incredible ways the site is powered - especially as this is the site’s 150^th birthday!

Railways and steam power were fundamental to slate quarrying operations and the museum’s own collections include the quarry steam engine UNA which can be seen again this year up and down the museum yard but we will also be focusing on other powerful object such as the incredible waterwheel which once powered many of the activities at the site and the forces behind the amazing slate carrying  incline which enabled the quarrymen to bring the slate down from the high quarries to the trains will also take pride of place”

Other activities include a ‘Bridges, Buildings and Botanical Blueprints’ workshop by Wild Elements, remote controlled mechanical diggers& tonka trucks in the museum’s foundry,  a discovery trail running throuhgout the museum as well as all the usual attractions of the museum including slate splitting demonstrations and the quarrymen’s houses.  The popular ‘test track’ will be back as well - giving children a chance to bring in their own ‘00’ engines to run on a large layout track. 

The event is supported by Bangor Universty’s Widening Access Centre which provides a vital link between the University and its surrounding community. Its aim is to promote the work of the University and to raise the aspirations of individuals of all ages, who have little or no experience of higher education, to get to know what the University does and how they might benefit from what it offers. The Centre works in partnership with University academic staff and a network of groups and organisations active in the counties of Anglesey, Gwynedd and Conwy on projects and taster activities to give people opportunities and experiences they would not otherwise come by.

ENGINEOUS  takes place on 19 – 21  February 2020  between 10am and 3pm. 

Entry is FREE.

For more information contact the Museum on 02920 573700 @amgueddfalechi #engineous2020

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For further press information and photographs please contact Julie Williams on 02920 573707  julie.williams@museumwales.ac.uk.  Photographs are available.