Head of Steam boosts bid for power

CHEERS... Neil Hay, of Shaw’s Brewery, with festival bar manager Beverley Gobbett, from Trafford and Hulme CAMRA

A FORMER Ferranti engineer has developed a special beer to support the campaign to bring back steam in the Power Hall at Manchester’s Museum of Science & industry (MOSI).

Neil Hay, who worked as a test engineer at Ferranti’s factory in Oldham for almost 30 years, will provide the Head of Steam beer as the principal brew for the Museum’s first real ale festival.

The festival runs tomorrow and Saturday in association with Trafford and Hulme Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

Profits from the festival will support MOSI, including its Head of Steam campaign which aims to raise £50,000 towards the costs of installing a new boiler to run the museum’s steam engines in the Power Hall.

Head of Steam beer, which is brewed by Shaw’s micro brewery in Dukinfield, is a medium colour, amber bitter of 4.3 per cent volume.

Neil, who lives in Hurst, Tameside, said: “I’m delighted to support the museum as it’s a wonderful place and I have a direct interest in many areas myself.

“Some of the equipment here even came from Ferranti, where I used to work.”

The real ale festival at MOSI will feature more than 40 beers from 16 local breweries throughout Greater Manchester, as well as ciders and perries. From Hannibal’s Nectar to Plum Treat, Nutty Slack to Brewer’s Gold, there will be something to suit all beer tastes.

The festival runs from 6 to 10.30pm tomorrow and noon to 10.30pm on Saturday. Tickets are £5 (£4 concessions).