Think Tank

[ellbrown]

I still like the old Museum of Science and Industry better!

Here's the lighthouse light in Thinktank in 2013.



And the Railton Mobil Special

 

[PGS4038]

I spent most of my young Saturdays at Newhall Street. I would get a return train to Snow Hill from Soho & Winson Green station, then do some trainspotting at Snow Hill and /or New street and then if it was cold, spend the afternoon in the Engineering Hall at the science museum. The highlight each year was a ride around town on the back of a steam lorry during the Steam Rally, trying not to fall off the back as it accelerated up Newhall Street! The think tank just doesn't do it for me.

 

[Richard Dye]

I spent most of my young Saturdays at Newhall Street. I would get a return train to Snow Hill from Soho & Winson Green station, then do some trainspotting at Snow Hill and /or New street and then if it was cold, spend the afternoon in the Engineering Hall at the science museum. The highlight each year was a ride around town on the back of a steam lorry during the Steam Rally, trying not to fall off the back as it accelerated up Newhall Street! The think tank just doesn't do it for me.

Absolutely agree!

 

[ellbrown]

Congrats on getting one of your photo's published in last Thursdays Birmingham Mail, lovely picture, John.

Thank you. If you mean Selly Manor on Thursday. Also had one at the Bullring on Wednesday (two days in a row).

You will also find my photos in the new Birmingham We Are 2020 Charity Calendar, which they are launching this week. Got my copy today.

 

[Spargone]

Much of it, apart from those exhibits saved from the Newhall Street museum, is aimed at very young children. This is a good thing..

It is a truism that children don't change. Every parent soon discovers that the cardboard box is more attractive to the young child than the contents. It is the adults that think that what is presented to children has to be updated. A few bright plastic balls may get more children playing but it won't inspire any of them to become engineers whereas a working beam engine will still fascinate those that want to take up engineering.

I am reminded of the old joke, Q. "Why are Irish jokes so stupid?" A. "So the English can understand them!" It isn't the children that don't understand old books and museums, it's the adults!

 

[BrummyPaul]

I think you're right Spargone. I do honestly understand those that champion the Think Tank kind of thing, I really do. But most little kids are attracted to the play areas which, to be fair, do seem to be themed toward science education. It's an entertainment experience as much as anything. So now we pay for it big time! So, taking your theme further, maybe adults have taken the entertaining aspect a little too far in some cases. Yes, mine was a much quieter experience. It required dad to explain, to talk to me. To first learn himself so that he could educate me properly. So it became intimate, formed a bond that I am forever grateful for. So for that I thank my dad for what we shared and for the lifelong interest in our Heritage that he has given me. Maybe it's true that most young adults have little time for that shared learning so the more instant 'entertainment' approach is now more successful. But back then, we depended on the smell of the oil, the beautifully engineered parts, slightly less colourful explanations. We were therefore stretched and dependant on dad to help us understand. But this stretching upwards inspired us, and the achievement of understanding was all the more satisfying and long lasting. Having said all this, I'm sure I simply have to accept that I've joined the Dinosaurs!

 

[Dinger]

I think the people of Birmingham were "sold a pup" when the old science museum was closed down. - It was free to enter and its location was the ideal "link" between the city centre and the Jewellery Quarter. To my mind, its replacement, the "ThinkTank" at Millennium point (which contains only a fraction of what was in the original Science Museum) was a con by developers to get the council to jump-start their East Side development. It didn't work, and that whole area of Birmingham was semi-derelict for 20 years. It's only in recent years, with the land being snapped up by Aston University for student accommodation and the promise of the HS2 station being built next door that the area has sprung back to life. But that very success will probably doom the ThinkTank. It seems incredible to me that Birmingham Council does not actually own the ThinkTank building, it only rents it. The lease is up in 2029. No doubt the owners will get much more money from some big corporate company seeking to relocate some of its staff from London to less-expensive Birmingham once HS2 is in operation. What then? - Especially in light of Birmingham's financial woes.

One of my favourite days out is to the National Museum of Computing next to Bletchley Park. One of its star exhibits is the oldest original (rather than replica) computer anywhere in the world. - The Harwell Decatron "W.H.I.T.C.H." computer. - It actually belongs to Birmingham Museums, but it took someone from the National Museum of Computing to recognise it in storage, arrange for it to be loaned and repaired to working condition. - It just goes to show that Birmingham Museums simply does not know the value or worth of the things donated to it over the years.

Harwell Dekatron Computer aka W.I.T.C.H. — The National Museum of Computing

www.tnmoc.org

Here is a link to an article in the Architect's Journal back in 2021 when they advertised for a "Masterplanner" to sort out the coming mess...

Masterplanner sought for major new Birmingham museum

Birmingham Museums Trust is seeking a masterplanner to test ideas for a new city, science and industry museum [Deadline: 13 September 2021]

www.architectsjournal.co.uk

On principle, I've never visited the ThinkTank, but I did enjoy going to the big IMAX cinema that used to be housed in the same building (I used to work not far away). I was always puzzled by the lack of visitors to ThinkTank while their website was always boasting of how popular the place was. So one day I asked one of the security guards about it. - He said, they boast about the number of visitors, but that includes all the bussed-in schoolkids who get in for free. The actual number of paying visitors is a lot less.

 

[mikejee]

Quite agree.. Visited once and certainly seemed aimed at giving something for schoolkids to look at with no real imtelligent design. In particular the idea of having a Lego section shows how very useless is the whole mess. I had not realised that the lease ran out in 2029. do not consider it would be a great loss. Perhaps the writer was influenced by the useless planners of the Think Tank when he stated that the Museum & art gallery was extended in 1017

 

[Richard Dye]

I think the people of Birmingham were "sold a pup" when the old science museum was closed down. - It was free to enter and its location was the ideal "link" between the city centre and the Jewellery Quarter. To my mind, its replacement, the "ThinkTank" at Millennium point (which contains only a fraction of what was in the original Science Museum) was a con by developers to get the council to jump-start their East Side development. It didn't work, and that whole area of Birmingham was semi-derelict for 20 years. It's only in recent years, with the land being snapped up by Aston University for student accommodation and the promise of the HS2 station being built next door that the area has sprung back to life. But that very success will probably doom the ThinkTank. It seems incredible to me that Birmingham Council does not actually own the ThinkTank building, it only rents it. The lease is up in 2029. No doubt the owners will get much more money from some big corporate company seeking to relocate some of its staff from London to less-expensive Birmingham once HS2 is in operation. What then? - Especially in light of Birmingham's financial woes.

One of my favourite days out is to the National Museum of Computing next to Bletchley Park. One of its star exhibits is the oldest original (rather than replica) computer anywhere in the world. - The Harwell Decatron "W.H.I.T.C.H." computer. - It actually belongs to Birmingham Museums, but it took someone from the National Museum of Computing to recognise it in storage, arrange for it to be loaned and repaired to working condition. - It just goes to show that Birmingham Museums simply does not know the value or worth of the things donated to it over the years.

Harwell Dekatron Computer aka W.I.T.C.H. — The National Museum of Computing

www.tnmoc.org

Here is a link to an article in the Architect's Journal back in 2021 when they advertised for a "Masterplanner" to sort out the coming mess...

Masterplanner sought for major new Birmingham museum

Birmingham Museums Trust is seeking a masterplanner to test ideas for a new city, science and industry museum [Deadline: 13 September 2021]

www.architectsjournal.co.uk

On principle, I've never visited the ThinkTank, but I did enjoy going to the big IMAX cinema that used to be housed in the same building (I used to work not far away). I was always puzzled by the lack of visitors to ThinkTank while their website was always boasting of how popular the place was. So one day I asked one of the security guards about it. - He said, they boast about the number of visitors, but that includes all the bussed-in schoolkids who get in for free. The actual number of paying visitors is a lot less.

What a great article on the Harwell Decatron computer. As a retired engineer, I can feel the joy of the restorers and the please they derived. My default place on a rainy or cold Sunday afternoon was the old Science Museum. SO much history of Birmingham & the World for that matter!
Thank you Dinger!

 

[Dinger]

What a great article on the Harwell Decatron computer. As a retired engineer, I can feel the joy of the restorers and the please they derived. My default place on a rainy or cold Sunday afternoon was the old Science Museum. SO much history of Birmingham & the World for that matter!
Thank you Dinger!

Cheers Richard,
You might like this video they made of its "reboot" - at the end they "race" the computer with someone using a mechanical calculator and the man wins! - But of course, the computer could go on working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, whereas a human operator would flag after 30 minutes.

 

[mw0njm.]

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[mw0njm.]

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[mw0njm.]

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[mw0njm.]

Pump engines for fresh water or sewage

 

[Mark Tooze]

We are going to the Museums Collection Centre Open Day tomorrow and will try to get photos of some of the things that did not get into ThinkTank

 

[Mark Tooze]

A superb day at the Collections Centre yesterday - a big thanks to all of the wonderful staff on duty, many of whom I guess must be worried about their own futures due to the city's current financial mess. I really cannot recommend a visit to the collections center highly enough!
A few photos of some more unusual items on display - all taken in dim light as you could not use flash:-

Bacon Slicer


Fish and Chip Fryer


One Hell of a Mangle....


Hand Operated Tricycle for disabled ex-servicemen, 1921


Fire Engine Model


Decorators Cart

 

[Mark Tooze]

And some more:-

Rocking Horse and Dolls House



Model Steam Engine


Telephone Exchange


Frequency Meter


Candle Lantern

 

[Mark Tooze]

And some more:-


Latimer St street sign


Clocking In Machine


Stuffed Birds


Old Cash Registers


Early Projection Television


Penny Operated Automated Music Box

 

[Mark Tooze]

And some more:-


Magic Lantern


Chopper Bike


Kidney Dialysis Machine


School Bench


Washing Machine


Dentists Chair

 

[Mark Tooze]

Last lot for tonight:-


Steam Car Water Supply Box


Grandfather Clock Face





Ancient Egyptian Artifacts

 

[Mark Tooze]

Lets add a few more - these are small stuffed animals photographed through the grilles on the cabinets in the small items room:-

 

[Mark Tooze]

Matchbox Cars - how many of these did I go through as a kid?


Stuffed reptile (sorry do not know which one!)


Wurlitzer Juke Box


John The Baptist's head


Camera Exposure Meter

 

[Mark Tooze]

Into the Vehicle Hall now:-

Burrell Traction Engine


Concept model for proposed pre-war Broad Street development





Wonderful Old Cars - one even has a built in brolly and holder in lieu of a roof........

 

[Mark Tooze]

Some close up detail of various items in the vehicle hall:-


Salters Weighing Machine



Detail from Dustbin Cart


Motorbike Tax Disc - expired in 1928......




Detail on Dennis Fire Engine

 

[Mark Tooze]

Next the Cutaway Workshop model that used to be in the old Science Museum.



To get photos of the interiors required 1/2 second hand-held time exposures as light was so dim, but it was worth it as the detail is superb:-

 

[Mark Tooze]

A selection of old music boxes and barrel organs - the Wurlitzers of those days:-

 

[Tinpot]

Lets add a few more - these are small stuffed animals photographed through the grilles on the cabinets in the small items room:-
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Stuffed animals ,birds and Egyptian mummies are my abiding memory of first visits to The Birmingham Museum as a child in the 1950’s. Not to everyone’s taste now. Even my own. But then the large collection on display was a marvel to me. I didn’t need flashing lights and over explanation. I just needed to look and enjoy finding my own way round the exhibits.

 

[Mark Tooze]

Some assorted items next:-


Sunbeam Bicycle


Cast Iron Bath


Zebu Skeleton


Cadburys Chocolate Wrappers 1980s


Fire Pump


This is a night watchman's clock. According to my wife's uncle, factories had these so that the night watchman had to turn his key at each one to prove he was doing his rounds at the correct time!!

 

[Mark Tooze]

Some more assorted items:-


Button Making Machine


Baked Potato Sellers Handcart


Bottle Cap Fitting Machine


Portable Fire Pump


Writing Desk


Flypress - this was a 2-man job used to shape metal shovels - hence the size!

 

[Mark Tooze]

And a few more:-


Ornamental Turning Lathe - this machine is a piece of art on its own!


Liquid Nitrogen Machine


Royal Coat Of Arms - Queen Victoria era


Lawnmower


Milk Bottle Filling Machine



And - for the person who thought they had every kitchen gadget known to mankind - a machine that not only slices your bread but butters it as well!!!