North West Museum of Road Transport
History is waiting for you!
History
The building within which the North West Museum of Road Transport is housed was
constructed in 1881 for the town's horse-drawn trams. It continued in use for public transport purposes, housing steam and electric trams, trolleybuses and motor buses, firstly-by St Helens Corporation and latterly by Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive until 1985. The museum society was able to obtain a lease on the premises, which had always remained in the ownership of St Helens Council, and moved into the now rather run-down building in 1986. In 1994 the poor condition of the roof meant that the facility had to be closed to the public, although members were still able to work on the exhibits at times. A huge effort saw the building renovated and the roof replaced, resulting in the museum reopening in 2006. Grants had been obtained from the Single Regeneration Budget, European Regional Development Fund, Neighbourhood Renewal Funding, North West Coalfields Community Campaign and the DTI, together with a substantial contribution from the museum itself.
Collections
The Museum owned bus collection.
Learn MorePrivately owned bus collection.
Learn MoreMuseum owned commercial and fire fighting equipment
Learn MorePrivate owned cars, light commercial & emergency vehicle’s
Learn MoreThe newest addition to the museum
LION Gearless Bus BTB928
Visit
Admission fees are -
£4.00 for adults and concessions
£2.50 for accompanied children
£2.50 Disabled (and carers)
£12.50 for a family ticket.
Opening Times
Saturday & Sunday 11am to 3pm
(The museum is closed from the 16th December through to mid February)
Drinks & Snacks are available inside the Museum
Free vintage bus rides operate on the first Sunday of each month and during event days.
On event day’s you can also visit the model railways of RAINHILL M.R.C which are housed within the museum.
RainhillMRC Web Site
Dogs are not allowed on the premises, this policy excludes assistance dogs.
Schools
We welcome school groups throughout the year
If you are interested in bringing your school children to visit the museum during the week, please contact Keith Naylor at keith@nwmort.co.uk The cost is only £2.50 per child (teachers, class room assistants & parents are free) The cost includes up to 4 information packs for the school to take away, including road, rail & canal transport systems.
Events
Santa Weekend
Visit Santa in his Grotto, try some Christmas crafts and have a ride on our Christmas Bus. (Visit Santa and receive a gift, including entry to the museum, £8 per child)
- Date: 14/12/2019 12:00 - 15/12/2019 12:00
- Location: Hall Street, St Helens, UK (Map)
Upcoming Events
| Title | Date | Day | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Bus Running | 01 Mar 2020 | Sunday | Hall Street, St Helens, UK |
| Easter Egg Hunt | 12 Apr 2020 | Sunday | Hall Street, St Helens, UK |
| Spring Classic Cars | 03 May 2020 | Sunday | Hall Street, St Helens, UK |
Past Events
| Title | Date | Day | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Car Show | 03 Nov 2019 | Sunday | Hall Street, St Helens, UK |
| Autumn Running Day | 27 Oct 2019 | Sunday | Hall Street, St Helens, UK |
NWMORT on Social Media
Check It Out Today!
Gallery
Museum Shop
Take home a memento of your visit
Features
A great deal of effort is given by volunteers to keep the museums fleet on the road. The workshops at the rear of the museum currently house a number of vehicles which are going through various stages on maintenance. From a simple service to a complete engine replacement, the work is all done by volunteers.
Read More
Restoration of the fleet is an on going project for the team of volunteers. The following pages will you keep you updated on progress.
Read More
Another very successful day, the Classic Car event with North West Casual Classics
Read MoreLibrary
Library
The museum has a library of over 1000 articles. Select the link to display the catalogue.
Learn MoreLa France
This car is the oldest motor vehicle in the museum, and one of the most unusual. It is a La France, built in 1914, and was originally built as a fire engine, being based in Tennessee and later California. The petrol engine is 14.5 litres (huge by today's standards), and the rear wheels are connected by a chain drive.
Memberships
Membership Form
This is an exciting time for the Museum, and we need your support! If you would like to help, you can become a member by downloading a membership form and returning completed to the museum. We value the support of all our members, and if you would like to become actively involved as a 'working member', there are plenty of opportunities to work on all types of vehicles.
Learn MoreContact
- 51 Hall Street, St Helens, England, United Kingdom
- Registered Charity No 513262
- 01744 451681
- Info@nwmort.co.uk
- Sat & Sun 11:00 to 15:00
Donate
All work needed to maintain the museum building and to repair museum vehicles is funded by admission fees.
We appreciate any additional donations that will help us to continue this fantastic work.
