Prefabs

[Astoness]

Not sure but wonder if it is the one with the notice board?
As soon as they open I will be there.

thats what i thought jan...just the one as a museum the rest lived in

lyn

 

[Richard Dye]

Pictures of 419 Wake Green Road on the virtual 'Prefab Museum' Website. (Taken July 2014) https://www.prefabmuseum.uk/content...tion-of-the-wake-green-road-prefabs-july-2024

There's a wealth of information on Britain's prefabs on the site.https://www.prefabmuseum.uk

I look forward to the eventual opening of a physical museum. Does anyone know which of the prefabs has been selected? Given Birmingham's difficulties, it is brilliant that the restoration has gone ahead.

What is remarkable, 80 years old, still viable, inexpensive to build and most likely good for another 40 years! I think there is a lesson learned there.

 

[pjmburns]

The work has long been finished but I can't find anything about one being open to the public. Or what has happened to the rest.
Will post if I find anything out.

 

[Astoness]

The work has long been finished but I can't find anything about one being open to the public. Or what has happened to the rest.
Will post if I find anything out.

thanks jan..i was wondering about the one that is going to open to the public..

lyn

 

[OuterCircleBus]

The work has long been finished but I can't find anything about one being open to the public. Or what has happened to the rest.
Will post if I find anything out.

There may have been talk about one being opened up as a "museum" but from my understanding that was never on the cards. Given the state of the city's finances and the demand for housing they are all now occupied. I went into the prefabs when the refurb was taking place and the standard of the restoration is excellent. If you go to Wake Green Road to look at them you can see just how great they look now.
The nearest prefab open for the public to visit is at Avoncroft in Bromsgrove, but it isn't a Phoenix type.
This photograph is of the Wake Green Road prefabs with no 407 in the foreground taken in September last year when the work was almost completed.

 

[Morturn]

Thanks for the update. I have seen and been in the Avoncroft several times. I don’t know the model but its identical the one that were on Court Lane Erdington adjacent to Short Heath Park. I think there were a couple of different models

 

[paul stacey]

Just as I remember them as a boy, thought them very posh!!

 

[Stokkie]

The prefab at Avoncroft was manufactured in April 1946 and was originally sited at 85 Moat Lane, Yardley, Birmingham. It is the Arcon MK. V prefab, produced by Taylor Woodrow.
https://avoncroft.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Prefab-information-1.pdf

 

[Stokkie]

The Prefab Museum website has photographs and stories of the Wake Green Road Prefabs.
https://www.prefabmuseum.uk/search?st[]=Wake+Green+Road&css_searchfield[]=text&fq=

Birmingham Mail published a heart-warming experience of a woman tenant who has returned to her home after the refurbishment. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/inside-historic-prefab-birmingham-homes-29924071

 

[Donbogen]

No asbestos this time round i hope

 

[Morturn]

No asbestos this time round i hope

Interesting thought that. They were of course cladded with cement based asbestos sheeting externally. I don’t know how much was used inside, most likely the bath and a few other panels. I have a feeling there was some insulation around pipes and tanks too.

The external cladding was sealed quite a few years ago and I would imagine the internal stuff also removed.

 

[Donbogen]

Interesting thought that. They were of course cladded with cement based asbestos sheeting externally. I don’t know how much was used inside, most likely the bath and a few other panels. I have a feeling there was some insulation around pipes and tanks too.

The external cladding was sealed quite a few years ago and I would imagine the internal stuff also removed.

Yes the airing cupboards had asbestos i worked on some for BCHD
Am i right in recalling some roofs were asbestos

 

[pjmburns]

The original planning application included this statement

That is why I thought one was being opened to view

 

[paul stacey]

Of course "Asbestos", was used in the day, as ante fire hazard, back in the day fire was a very real and great risk, and of course with no hindsight, as to the very dangerous material had to humans. I worked for about a month, on discharge for the "Atlas Stone Company" in the early 70's, near Royston, Cambs, and they were still manufacturing asbestos, products, for world wide distribution,. The whole yard was always covered in dust, luckily I was a pay clerk and inside.!!

 

[Morturn]

Yes the airing cupboards had asbestos i worked on some for BCHD
Am i right in recalling some roofs were asbestos

Yes, some were, the ones with a pitch roof like the Avoncroft prefab. There were some along Slade Road Erdington that had flat roofs with felt, but the council did convert them to pitch roofs in about 1970.

 

[OuterCircleBus]

The Wake Green Road prefabs had the roofs replaced with corrugated cement sheet in the 1980s. The outer walls were corrugated asbestos cement sheet. That has been sealed and instructions issued to never cut or drill the outer walls. The internal walls were originally fibreboard but over the years were replaced with plaster board. All the internal walls and exterior wall inner linings were replaced with plasterboard in the prefabs that were refurbished in 2024.
Number 407 has been restored as near as possible to appear how it was fitted out originally, but it is occupied by a tenant and is not open to the public. The term "Museum" was used, but I do not think it was ever the intention not to use 407 for anything other than residential purposes.
This photograph is of the lounge in 407 taken during restoration