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Aston Manor Transport Museum

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nostromo
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I totally agree when people in villages are saving pubs and some local councils are waving there council tax to help them it's about communities! It's just awful and there is so much waste land surely they don't need this!
 
The running day on October 16th will now be a general running day rather than one confined to MCW Metrobuses and Leyland Nationals, which many here would find rather modern, so older types will be running as well. The museum are trying to be as positive as possible in spite of the critical situation so are going ahead with the advertised events.
 
horsencart said:
I note that the TO LET board is now on the outside of the former museum
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I can't see a queue forming to sign up to that! Really hope that whoever does eventually take it over will be sympathetic to its history. A major snag is that it's current internal layout makes it suitable for very few uses, holding vehicles is one and a transport museum is another - something it did very successfully for about 20 years.......
 
I have just heard this morning that Witton Tram Shed has been given a grade 2 listing, only came through this week. It is very good news for this important building and will hopefully prevent it being ruined in any way. The canal barge has moved recently too but i'm not sure where to.

Another related happening gave me a laugh, the "To Let" sign blew off the shed in the recent high winds :fat:
 
hi 6918 i know isnt this good news..i posted the info on the save the transport museum thread earlier on....wonder where the canal barge is now then...hope its somewhere safe...:encouragement:

had to laff about the TO LET sign...

lyn
 
Yes it's good news Lyn. It's highly unlikely the transport museum will move back there given their experiences with the City Council so I hope the building finds an appropriate use.

Simon
 
it would be great if it did move back simon as i struggle to think of what else it could be used for now...any road up i am more than happy with this latest news....

lyn
 
Not suprised that it is now listed. Call me synical but I think this is part of a greater scheme by the council. Hold off the listing until the museum has moved out, Get someone in who will pay a higher rent (which I understand is in the pipeline) , List the building and the higher rent will go toward the councils maintenance costs. Bob's yer uncle etc:
 
Except of course that it is not the Council that lists buildings. Also in all probability of the council are as savvy as suggested they will agree a deal whereby the new occupiers are responsible for the repair upkeep of the building.
 
I agree with you Bernie but I should think that the council have the legal means to delay the Listing. I also believe that they have a legal obligation to supply the basic maintenence of all listed buildings within their area.
That's my understanding anyway, but as I said, "Call me synical". I still think there was something dodgy with the whole thing.

Having said all that, I'm really glad that the building has now got a listed status.
 
I agree, read it on the other thread too and it would be great if some sort of transport memorabilia could be shown there now and I guess it stops supermarket and house building on the site!!.
The sign blowing away is hilarious - someone is supporting the Brummies :encouragement:
Sue
 
More recently I have heard that the tram tracks & stone set floor are included in the listing which is brilliant as it will prevent any new user from removing them or concreting them over. From the point of view of attracting a new tenant this will of course restrict the use of the interior although there is probably some loophole where they can put chipboard over the tram tracks in a "temporary" manner!!
 
6918 - I believe (though only from watching programmes such as Grand Designs) that they could clad the area with, for example, suspended (floating?) flooring in such a way that the protected parts are preserved but no longer visible.
 
6918 said:
More recently I have heard that the tram tracks & stone set floor are included in the listing which is brilliant as it will prevent any new user from removing them or concreting them over. From the point of view of attracting a new tenant this will of course restrict the use of the interior although there is probably some loophole where they can put chipboard over the tram tracks in a "temporary" manner!!
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hi simon this is good indeed as i was most concerned as to what may happen with the cobbled floor and the tram tracks...

thank you for letting us know that they will at least not be ripped out...

lyn
 
I'm very sad to report that the museum has run into very severe problems at its new location in Aldridge and now has no security of tenure on the site and a fading possibility of opening there as a proper museum. The directors are trying to resolve the situation and we should know the outcome in the next few weeks. Negotiations from the start have been very complex and it could easily end up facing a repeat of the situation that happened at Witton. Not the news any of us wanted to hear.
 
and in the meantime simon the old tram shed at witton still lies empty..beggars belief does this latest news..ive just had a word with my son and he said he had heard that the the museum was meant to move to the back of where it is now but how true i dont know..what a shame that the authorities do not seem to give a jot about brums transport history...

lyn
 
Very sorry to hear this news, unfortunately Birmingham, or at least the council, have very little interest in the preservation of anything to do with the city's industrial past, as recent events in regard to the renaming of the Gun Quarter show. This situation is not helped by the number of minority groups who seem to be more interested in squabbling over ego driven pointless arguments rather than involving themselves in a united cause to ensure Birmingham and its history is preserved for future generations.
 
what gets me is the vehicles were thrown out of the old tram shed because the council wanted to make money from the sale of it...like i said earlier 10 months later it still lies empty...i really do hope the council have shot themselves in foot over this...

lyn
 
Astoness said:
and in the meantime simon the old tram shed at witton still lies empty..beggars belief does this latest news..ive just had a word with my son and he said he had heard that the the museum was meant to move to the back of where it is now but how true i dont know..what a shame that the authorities do not seem to give a jot about brums transport history...

lyn
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Yes Lyn, your son is right about that, it would involve rejigging the layout so that the museum is lengthways along the building rather than across the middle of it. This would involve another tenant moving out (they were due to do so). I'm not fully sure what has gone wrong yet but we were all told that it's not looking great at the moment.

There obviously hasn't been a queue of people to use Witton tram shed, I know there has been a change in council since the museum left there but wouldn't bet on the new regime being any more sympathetic to us and the city's transport heritage but would be delighted to be proved wrong.

Simon
 
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
 
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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The old Tyburn road bus garage would have been perfect but that's being pulled down for another car showroom
 
"Birmingham City Council"......................"P*** Up" and Brewery springs to mind.

There are hundreds of empty premises in Brum, surely some one could step in and help? The Museum should put out a plea on local radio, though it strikes me that the museum has done little to promote itself over the last couple of years. Lets face it, the Transport Museum was one of Brums best kept secrets.
 
chocks2 said:
"Birmingham City Council"......................"P*** Up" and Brewery springs to mind.

There are hundreds of empty premises in Brum, surely some one could step in and help? The Museum should put out a plea on local radio, though it strikes me that the museum has done little to promote itself over the last couple of years. Lets face it, the Transport Museum was one of Brums best kept secrets.
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Totally agree chocks. Like the idea of putting on local radio
 
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