Science Museum Newhall Street

[Ladywood 2]

Absolutely, the old museum was a gem; I would spend hours there, there was so much to see and do.

They would play the organ near the entrance; the gas engine was always running, along with the Amos beam engine, the uniflow engine. We would arrive promptly on the house to watch the Corless mill engine run for 5minutes each hour.

There were buttons to press all over the place. I loved the sciencesection with the Fox and hen game, the telephones….

You can understand why all of Birmingham’s museums have hada steady decline in visitor numbers over the last twenty years, with the alternativesoffered by the living museums where you still can press button and ring trambells and immerse yourself in the past.

The impression I formed with Think Tank is, just because they are not interested in our proud industrial past, it does not mean everyone else is not interested either.

There was a way to beat the foxes, we could beat them on every visit

 

[Richard Dye]

A few locomotives for the enthusiasts at a traction engine rally outside the Museum of Science and Technology on Newhall Street, Birmingham

Below: Burrell Showmans Road Locomotive, regn. CL 4483, number 3847, Princess Marina. Built in 1920 by Charles Burrell & Sons at Thetford, in Norfolk, powered by an 6 Nhp compound steam engine.View attachment 208981


Below: Burrell Showmans Road Locomotive, regn. J 3471, number 3471, The Rover, built in 1913, powered by an 6 Nhp compound steam engine.

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Below: Burrell Scenic class Showmans Road Locomotive, regn. NR 965, number 3909, Winston Churchill. Built in 1922 by Charles Burrell & Sons at Thetford, in Norfolk, powered by an 8 Nhp compound steam engine. With Burrell Showmans Road Locomotive, regn. J 3471, number 3471, The Rover, built in 1913, powered by an 6 Nhp compound steam engine. Both supplying power for the Wonderland Fairground Organ built by Charles Marenghi & Cie. In France.

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I remember going to the traction engine show at the Science Museum, late ‘50s as i recall. Not sure if they were annual but I would see a poster while visiting the museum and make sure I went on the date.
The compound steam engine was a great invention, developed very early on for mine pumps and is actually the for runner to “regenerative hydraulics”. Regeneration makes hydraulics more efficient and physically compact operating at higher pressures. A key feature to those steam engines is the large flywheel which was often used like a starter. You don’t want to be around if/when one of those comes off!
Great photos!