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Science Museum Newhall Street

Here's some photos of City of Birmingham journey to Newhall Street taken by Barry Franklin
 

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Johnson044 said:
Williamstreeter- I wonder which loco that was in the early 60's? Before my time. I think I can just remember City of Birmingham's arrival at the museum- it's just possible that my parents took me into town to see- but we'd only just moved to the city and I was six. I think my comment on the way it was moved backwards and forwards was probably wrong- a steel cable much more likely. I only knew the city for seven years but they were my formative years and the city got into my very soul. I visited the museum so frequently and loved it very dearly. Having seemingly gone through hyperspace from early teens to advancing middle age I now find myself thinking of early 1970's Brum very often- and the museums- and in particular of the Museum of Science and Industry- and it leaves me with a desolate and overwhelming sense of loss to think of the museum's destruction and the dispersal of all the wonderful exhibits. I would give so much to be able to enter the museum again.
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Well the curator with the train used to plug a lead into the line , then it was in motion I can't remember the name , perhaps you are right and it was before I started work in 1964 .
 
rob what fantastic photos thanks very much for sharing them with us can anyone make out the name of the road or st in pic 4

lyn
 
Cannot read the name, but to the right the building has a firm written on it, which I think is J & W Mitchell, paper manufacturers, which is at 84-102 Coventry Road, which means that the junction is of Coventry Road and Watery Lane. (Sorry colour on map has not filled in very well)

map c1952 showing 84-102 Coventry road.jpg
 
mikejee said:
Cannot read the name, but to the right the building has a firm written on it, which I think is J & W Mitchell, paper manufacturers, which is at 84-102 Coventry Road, which means that the junction is of Coventry Road and Watery Lane. (Sorry colour on map has not filled in very well)

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Here's a picture of the paperworks on the left, looking up Coventry road towards the Blues ground. I took this picture when I was standing at the junction of Watery lane.
Covroad2.jpg
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A Sparks said:
Ah, the old Science Museum, I used to go in with my Dad :) him being in engineering he used to look at all the old machines - I wasn't so interested at the time, I'm sure I would appreciate it all better now!
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I loved the old Science Museum. Many good memories - the planes hanging from the ceiling, the steam train that moved, the mock up of the Victorian children's nursery that my mom wouldn't go near 'cos the dolls gave her nightmares....

I last went in there in the 90's & was horrified to see something I had actually used in there - the last pay on answer phone box to be decommissioned. It was the one from by the shops where I grew up! Made me feel old to think something I had used was in a museum!


Such a shame you have to pay a fortune to see any of it at the Think Tank now.
 
JudiM said:
I loved the old Science Museum. Many good memories - the planes hanging from the ceiling, the steam train that moved, the mock up of the Victorian children's nursery that my mom wouldn't go near 'cos the dolls gave her nightmares....

I last went in there in the 90's & was horrified to see something I had actually used in there - the last pay on answer phone box to be decommissioned. It was the one from by the shops where I grew up! Made me feel old to think something I had used was in a museum!


Such a shame you have to pay a fortune to see any of it at the Think Tank now.
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I loved that place too I took my grandchildren there a lot.when it was in newhall st. if i went there now i would be at home, with all the other relics.:grinning:
 
If my memory serves me, the Japanese crab was in a glass case on the wall, above a door I think. It was 60 years ago when I last visited, it all looks so modern inside now. We have to be thankfull that such a wonderfull building still survives.
 
The Science Museum, Newhall St.
What a place that was. I must have spent days if not months in there either by myself, with friends or my dad.
Items I remember are:

The Railton Special.
The thing on a wire (Lamson Paragon) that zipped across the ceilings of shops carrying money to and from the cashier.
Heat engines that ran on paraffin, giving off hot fumes as they gently hissed back and forth
The Lighthouse made by Chance's of Smethwick.
A Massive display of pen nibs.
The 'Draughts' machine. I could never win.
The workings of a 'STD' telephone system. The first telephone I ever saw.
A large array of speakers. Music was played and you could select which speaker it came out of.
The bicycle wheel in a frame that you spun round like crazy and the tried to steer it. This was to demonstrate the effects of centrifugal forces.
Go to go now, me mums calling me for me tea.
 
Bob Johnson said:
The Science Museum, Newhall St.
What a place that was. I must have spent days if not months in there either by myself, with friends or my dad.
Items I remember are:

The Railton Special.
The thing on a wire (Lamson Paragon) that zipped across the ceilings of shops carrying money to and from the cashier.
Heat engines that ran on paraffin, giving off hot fumes as they gently hissed back and forth
The Lighthouse made by Chance's of Smethwick.
A Massive display of pen nibs.
The 'Draughts' machine. I could never win.
The workings of a 'STD' telephone system. The first telephone I ever saw.
A large array of speakers. Music was played and you could select which speaker it came out of.
The bicycle wheel in a frame that you spun round like crazy and the tried to steer it. This was to demonstrate the effects of centrifugal forces.
Go to go now, me mums calling me for me tea.
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that 'STD' telephone system fascinated me. i loved the voice that spoke when you pressed a button on the exhibits :grinning:
 
The Draughts' machine was a game called fox’s and rabbit. It had a counter showing machine wins and player wins. The machine score was well up on players. There was a way to win, however I have that sort of mind that picks up pattens.

When you consider the game was made out of standard relays, I imagine the sort the post office used, it was quite amazing really.
 
Was there a locomotive in the old science museum in Newhall Street in the 1950s?
Hasn't this one been in storage somewhere as the Think Tank didn't have room for it
Obviously I'm talking pre 1964 when City Of Birmingham arrived
 
Paul, I thinks your comments are right on point! While I no longer live in Brum I so loved that museum it’s easy access and the romance of everything that was there. They day I beat the droughts machine was absolutely magical (I was lucky).

Reading Mike post #158, as well as others it seems that Brum has abdicated its lineage in industry. As a retired engineer and passionate student of the Industrial Revolution it is most disappointing.

I have been fortunate to travel the world with my work and visit so many like museums and have been proud to talk about the museum on Newhall St!


BrummyPaul said:
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!
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thanks ell..freshing to see buildings restored instead of demolished and credit where credit is due it looks good

lyn
 
ellbrown said:
The old Whitmore Warehouse building to the back of Newhall Square is also fully restored.



Fountains outside of it.





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Ell, really great to see those old building brought back to life.............If only they could talk, what stories they might tell!

Thank you!
 
Is the water feature a new decorative feature or was it part of an old canal ? Presumably it’s an old feature. Can’t imagine it being built from scratch. Viv.
 
could be a new feature viv...if not the canal would have to run under those new buildings...only a guess as i dont really have a clue :D

lyn
 
There was a short section of canal that ran across the site, it divided the museum. There was a bridge across tot he aircraft setion, so it may be.
 
Must go and take a look myself. It would have pleased my mother that they have preserved the building in which she used to work - electroplating - and making Bren gun parts during WW2. On later family visit to the museum we always had to go and stand on the spot where she worked.
 
Mike are you not too far north with your map? The canal which ran under the old Science Museum was the Birmingham and Fazerley canal which runs parallel to Fleet Street.

Have just spotted that this was my 2,500th post!!!!
 
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sorry. Wasn't quite clear exactly where Newhall square was. Google did not show it, an d I got a little confused. Nevertheless, cannot see that the photo could be of part of a canal, as it is certainly not the Birm & Fazeley
 
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