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Aston Manor Transport Museum

6918 said:
Just as we had feared the worst has now happened and the museum is now homeless again. I don't know the full details and even if I did I have been told it would be unwise to put them anywhere on line. A lease was offered and this was followed up very quickly by an eviction order (trying to work that one out) and everything has to be removed from Aldridge by the end of October. As a result all the remaining events planned for this year have been cancelled. If only somewhere suitable could be found in the city suburbs, back to square one i'm afraid.......

Simon
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not surprised to hear this news simon..and all the time the old tram shed at witton still lies empty bringing in no revenue for the council so they have shot themselves in the foot over that one.....how dam spiteful of them to turf the museum out of there in the first place...seems to me they are hell bent of ridding this city of all traces of our history and heritage.. once again shame on the lot of them..
:mad::mad:

lyn
 
I do hope someone can help. If they find somewhere they should talk to the people who run the Pen Room, that has been a great success. You have to promote yourselves and get schools and local people involved, there are lots of ways of raising cash to keep these places going. Bus excursions would be great, there must be lots of ideas to make it more profitable.
 
At the moment everybody is looking out for suitable disused buildings. One thing that is vital is that it is capable of having its use changed to museum use otherwise it can't be opened to the public or apply for grants, these two things are absolutely essential. As several people have said there has to be a lot of empty buildings about so we will hope for the best. Some of the collection have MOTs and can carry passengers so excursions are possible.

Simon
 
Is the old firestation in Lancaster place still empty and doing nothing? but council owned again I guess.
 
Well maybe in the future we can help to promote your events here. I do hope a suitable building is found so much of our history is either lost or hidden away. I wish we had a proper museum for Birmingham and it's industry. Buses and trams were a massive part as we and our ancestors all used them!
 
just heard that a planning application has gone in to turn the tram shed into an indoor market...see no reason to disbelieve this but maybe someone could check out the planning applications...

lyn
 
well if it is at least its gonna take some revenue aint it but three guesses whom gonna run it ;
and if i put my last pound on it ; i guess i would win; the land sold to the hghest bidder ;it will be a london company ;
after all all these old motor tram the younger generation aint intrested and the older generation are passing over very quickly sorry to say folks
we have to face facts and move with the times well at least they do not have to travel up to new town ; /
best wishes astonian ;;
 
Astoness said:
just heard that a planning application has gone in to turn the tram shed into an indoor market...see no reason to disbelieve this but maybe someone could check out the planning applications...

lyn
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I hope someone does scrutinize any application that is made. An indoor market sounds quite innocuous but the tram tracks might be an inconvenience to any would be market operator. I doubt if they would be able to rip them up but you all know how 'elf and safety' becomes a justification, rightly or wrongly, to make alterations to premises.
 
hi alan im far from an expert in these matters but good at getting angry...as the tram shed is now a listed building i doubt very much if the tracks can be ripped up..more than likely if this plan does go ahead they will have to be protected..will follow this with keen interest..

lyn
 
Yes sadly there will be no return to Witton. At the moment museum directors are contacting various councils in the West Midlands to see if there are suitable vacant properties about and importantly properties that can be registered for museum use. Contact is also being made with other museums, one of which is also about to be evicted from its premises, to see if any sort of arrangement can be made in terms of sharing a building. Unfortunately the situation at Aldridge turned out to be very different from what it first appeared to be and we were badly misled by the site owners (better not eleborate any more!)

Simon
 
I got the train to Witton yesterday, and took a few shots of the museum when I was in the area (near Villa Park and the Expressway)







 
Hi Elbrown: Thanks for posting the photos. Wonder how long the signs will stay up? The Tram Depot sign is part of the Heritage rules I imagine.
I hope if and when they take the lovely sign "Aston Transport Museum" sign down that it doesn't get binned like the old Bull Ring signage.
 
jennyann there was also this yellow sign next to the Aston Villa sign (corner of Station Road)



And was this building opposite (now the Aston Villa Academy) anything to do with the Depot?

 
Hi Elbrown:
I can't find any reference to there being another depot for trams at Witton. Peter Walker, a late member of this forum, wrote in
his history of the Birmingham Tramways about the Depot at Witton with no mention of any other buildings for the trams in Witton Lane. Peter's excellent and extensive writings can be found in the main index on this site. There is mention of a depot off Witton Road which was used when the electric trams came along. Peter also mentions a depot at Perry Barr later on and that may have become the Perry Barr Bus Depot eventually.
 
And was this building opposite (now the Aston Villa Academy) anything to do with the Depot?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,










As far as I can remember, there was only one building, as the Aston Tram Depot (Old Museum Building)
 
Hi Dave, Looks like the land that the Aston Villa Academy is built on didn't have any buildings on it connected to the Tram Depot across the road. In the Wikipedia site about the development of Aston Villa Football Ground over it's time at Witton, the land was part of the Lower Grounds Leisure place and further extensions to the Witton End took place around the time the Tram Depot was built. The land was steeply banked for terraces. The Post Office Telephone Depot was built there later and then demolished. My memories are of billboards facing out into Witton Lane after WW2. Would be nice to see some photos if possible. Someone else on the Forum might have some.
 
Pete said the buildings were used by Ansells as a garage and thinks later they were used by cricketers to practice in the nets?. No photo's Jenny but I can tell you a chap who worked on the lorries there [Vinve] did a streak round Witton Island. Don't know why that came to mind???. Jean.
 
I too remember it being used by Ansells, it later bacame know as Stumps where it was used for indoor cricket.
 
Thankfully the museum has found new premises and moving the collection has been in full swing for a number of weeks now. The new building is in Shenstone Drive, Aldridge about 300 yards away from the previous place which at least means transport costs were kept to a minimum. Its early days yet but there is a hope that the museum can re-open around Easter next year, we have had false dawns before but hopefully this time we will get there. The building will need some alterations but where there is a will there is a way. Aldridge was the preferred location for a few reasons, the volunteer numbers increased greatly since the museum first moved to the town and the open days held there brought in record numbers of visitors. It also has to be admitted that Walsall council have been more supportive than Birmingham City council. Aldridge is at least close to Brum, in mileage terms it is a similar distance to the north as Wythall Transport Museum is to the South.

Simon
 
Many thanks Simon I was only the other day wondering what was happening.
 
Thats great news Simon I am sure you will get a lot of support from the locals and well done to Walsall council. Onward and upward.
 
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