The North East's very Canny Creations at Beamish
From steam engines to self-service pet shops, The Living Museum of the North is spotlighting the region’s world-changing inventions
Beamish Museum is celebrating the North East’s rich history of innovation this month with Canny Creations: Wonderful North East Inventions, a museum-wide event shining a spotlight on the region’s world-changing ideas.
Running across the open-air site in County Durham, the programme invites visitors to explore the stories behind some of the area’s most significant breakthroughs - from steam power and safety lamps to lightbulbs, life-saving inventions and beloved household names.
At Pockerley Waggonway, visitors can enjoy a short steam train ride while discovering the development of Locomotion No. 1, the first passenger service on the Stockton & Darlington Railway and a milestone in railway history.
Over at Pockerley Old Hall, there’s the chance to create charcoal drawings of steam engines and learn about the Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade, founded in 1864 as the first organisation of its kind in the world, as well as the story of the Durham Ox.
In The 1900s Pit Village, the drift mine explores George Stephenson’s Geordie Lamp, while The 1900s Town’s Co-op store shares the invention of Swan’s incandescent lightbulb and the origins of Domestos. Elsewhere, the garage delves into the work of Charles Algernon Parsons and his pioneering steam turbines, and W Smith’s Chemist highlights the stories behind Lucozade and Walker’s friction match.
There are hands-on opportunities too. Budding inventors can head to the Masonic Hall to design their own creations, with a prize for the best idea. In The 1950s Town, families can discover the Robinson family, who opened Britain’s first self-service pet suppliers in Newcastle, build Meccano masterpieces and even construct their own catapult on selected dates.
Paul Foster, events manager at Beamish, said: “We’re telling the stories of wonderful inventions and innovators from the North East. Some may be well-known to you but others may not be – there’s certainly some fun stories to discover.
As with all of the attraction’s daytime events, Canny Creations: Wonderful North East Inventions, which runs until March 1, is included in museum admission and is free to Beamish Unlimited Pass holders and Friends of Beamish members.
Visitors can also explore Beamish’s wider attractions, from the 1820s Landscape and Georgian Drovers Tavern to the 1940s Farm and 1950s Town. For full details, visit beamish.org.uk