Please note: Stephenson’s Rocket is no longer on display at the Science and Industry Museum. To find out what exhibitions and activities are open today, visit our What’s On section.
You may have seen the signs around town…
Or perhaps you’ve even seen our snazzy GIF about it…
Reminder: If you are planning a visit today, the museum is closing at 3.30pm to welcome Rocket – we’ll be posting about the move on our Instagram story over the next couple of days so follow @scienceandindustrymuseum and see Rocket on display from Tuesday #rocketreturns ???????????? pic.twitter.com/sKsLIYwUOJ
— Science and Industry Museum (@sim_manchester) September 20, 2018
Yes, the rumours are true. The legendary loco, Stephenson’s Rocket, has returned to Manchester for the first time in over 180 years.
Earlier in the year, Rocket left our sister site in London, the Science Museum, and made its way to spend some time with our friends at the Discovery Museum in Newcastle, where it was on display as part of the Great Exhibition of the North.
Last Thursday (20 September) though, Rocket left the North East and set off across the country to join us here at the Science and Industry Museum, situated on the same site that Rocket used to operate from over 180 years ago, on the Liverpool & Manchester Railway.
Now, I could chronicle the whole thing here in lovely, flowing prose, romanticising Rocket’s return, but the museums’ respective marketing teams and various other members of staff have done a fantastic job in documenting the journey across social media, essentially doing my job for me. So, without further ado…
Here’s the moment #Rocket finally left this morning for Manchester. Over to you now @sim_manchester to showcase this amazing icon of the north #RocketDeparts #RocketReturns pic.twitter.com/c481TzJNyE
— Discovery Museum (@Discovery_Mus) September 20, 2018
Thanks to @LNER for the shout out this morning at Central St to mark #Rocket‘s final day in Newcastle. Safe trip @ConstantineLtd & good luck @sim_manchester @sciencemuseum @getnorth2018 pic.twitter.com/4sQSqcSHF8
— Discovery Museum (@Discovery_Mus) September 20, 2018
Some 150 miles later:
It’s here ???? #rocketreturns @sim_manchester pic.twitter.com/3WZnZt2cFC
— Danielle Bryers (@Dani_B) September 20, 2018
Just your average day at work with the arrival of Stephenson’s Rocket in the pouring rain. Truly awesome team work from all my splendid @sim_manchester work buds, @SMConservation and of course the ace @constantineltd crew. #RocketReturns #AceWorkBuds #MuseumLife #ExhibitonsCrew pic.twitter.com/TUO9ml6wCn
— Sal (@OfficialTeamBBs) September 20, 2018
Yeah just lifting Rocket off a truck into the museum. Standard Thursday really, nothing to see here #rocketreturns pic.twitter.com/9D0ulShicQ
— Science and Industry Museum (@sim_manchester) September 20, 2018
Rocket has arrived at its next destination! Choo choo. ???? @sim_manchester #Museums #Collections #RocketReturns #Manchester pic.twitter.com/2de14R1H7r
— Gina (@GinaMCooke) September 20, 2018
(Top marks to our Contemporary Science Programme Producer Gina for using ‘choo choo’ here; none of this ‘toot toot’ nonsense…)
And as if by magic (but actually, after removing our front doors and diverting everybody through the café and gift shop for a week to make space for it), Rocket makes it inside:
Rocket has arrived… Complete with specially made protective coverings! #RocketReturns pic.twitter.com/G2Oip1Jram
— Science and Industry Museum (@sim_manchester) September 20, 2018
Day 2, and we’re now attempting to move Rocket into place…
Making sure everything is in order inside…
Now here’s a thing you don’t often see – the inside of Rocket’s smokebox. Conservator Richard has opened it up to check that there has been no damage during the move #RocketReturns pic.twitter.com/OzgSRbrJAb
— Science and Industry Museum (@sim_manchester) September 21, 2018
And reattaching that iconic chimney.
And here we can see the famous Ticket chimney that gives it its distinctive shape being moved into position pic.twitter.com/XvFTuLo0LF
— Science and Industry Museum (@sim_manchester) September 21, 2018
Yep, that’s Richard the conservator INSIDE Rocket’s smokebox ???????? #RocketReturns pic.twitter.com/plmO89AFYp
— Science and Industry Museum (@sim_manchester) September 21, 2018
Sometimes conservation is so glam and sometimes you have to put your head in the front of a locomotive to secure a chimney ???????????? #rocketreturns pic.twitter.com/Znui1TBcHF
— Science and Industry Museum (@sim_manchester) September 21, 2018
And here it is in all it splendour in our Revolution Manchester gallery, awaiting its adoring public:
I must say, Rocket is looking pretty darn good @sim_manchester! #RocketReturns #Manchester pic.twitter.com/P10aQNEwcL
— Gina (@GinaMCooke) September 24, 2018
Well there it is in all its glory. Barrier in, graphics on & now just waiting to fill a showcase on Monday. I must say, it really is beyond EPIC to have Rocket back on the site where it found fame #RocketReturns #MuseumLife #AceWorkBuds #WorthIt @sim_manchester @ConstantineLtd pic.twitter.com/1zwU67pwl0
— Sal (@OfficialTeamBBs) September 22, 2018
Well, hello there! #rocketreturns pic.twitter.com/nOGbsZYRU3
— Georgina Young (@reluctantgeorge) September 21, 2018
