I too would definitely recommend a visit to Queen Street Mill. It has the complete package – Lancashire boiler, steam engine, line shafting and belts driving some 300 looms and the atmosphere of a working mill (and even a weaver in clogs!)
We just got back from a few days in Lancashire to see Helmshore Mills, Bancroft Mill Engine and Queen Street Mill. Well worth the journey from Hampshire.
Helmshore Mills and Queen Street are still in line for closure by the county council by end of September. I was told that for Queen St. at least, the council are realising that mothballing the site will cost almost as much as keeping it open so there is some hope for the future. With admission to Queen Street a ridiculous £3 (£2 for over 60's) its not surprising the place is losing money!
Helmshore Mills is more of a museum but the waterwheel runs and the process spinning cotton is well explained by the guides who demonstrate the carding and mule spinning machinery.
The Bancroft engine is run by a very friendly volunteer group. It was interesting to compare their Cross Compound with rope drive to the similar sized direct coupled Tandem Compound at Queen Street.
David