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Science Museum Newhall Street

In my opinion, its not worth the trip (or the large entrance fee....). Better to go to one of the open days at the Museum collections centre in Dollman St when they restart post-covid. Most of the old science museum exhibits are there..
 
Radiorails said:
If I did it was in the tram thread, I don't think it was in the Dollman thread. I have been throwing into the Forum since 2010 so a lot has passed under the bridge. ;)
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Alan,

This is what I posted about 2 years ago..........It was a pen & ink drawing given to us as a wedding gift.

If I recall you made some constructive background comments on the tram.
 
I think that what passes as a replacement for the Science Museum at Millennium Point is a very poor show for a city with the science, technical, engineering and manufacturing history of Birmingham. It is pathetic and a sad disappointment after the wonderful museum that we used to have. It simply adds to the impression of a city that has lost its sense of direction.
 
Earlier today I noticed this thread and some recollections and fine pictures of the train and cars inside , which reminded me of the following photograph. Fine selection of old cars - well they weren't at the time and shows the classic lines of the building. Fine bit of street furniture on the corners, No Parking sign, bollard and a litter bin.

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Mark Tooze said:
a few of the City of Birmingham locomotive.

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Love these two picture especially from this side, when I was small mom used to take us to the museum in the holidays and the highlight was to wait for the loco to be moved back and forward while sitting having a drink in the little area with the vending machine which was opposite - I also enjoyed the little picture viewers with the button on the front to change the picture they had varied picture to reflect the area they were sited.
 
I remember that when you walked through from the entrance hall where the trains were, there was a glass cabinet on the right containing a beautiful scale model of a W. Canning &Co. automatic chain conveyor electroplating machine that was built by Canning apprentices in I think 1938. I believe that the original machine was built for one of the cycle companies, Phillips or Hercules? I think that might have been the one that my dad was a foreman on, he told me that it was actually used for cadmium plating fuselage stringers for Fairey Battle light bombers when he was in charge of it. When war was declared he volunteered immediately and went to France in late 1939 with the 8th Warwicks regiment. At the end of May 1940 they were engaged with the Dunkirk rearguard actions along the Comines Canal, dad was badly wounded and taken prisoner. He didn’t get home until May 1945, so for him swapping plating for fighting wasn’t a great idea.
 
coleighf said:
I think that what passes as a replacement for the Science Museum at Millennium Point is a very poor show for a city with the science, technical, engineering and manufacturing history of Birmingham. It is pathetic and a sad disappointment after the wonderful museum that we used to have. It simply adds to the impression of a city that has lost its sense of direction.
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The old museum was always worth repeat visits, especially for children as they got older and started to look at the exhibits in more detail. It is sad to see that what once was a whole gallery at Newhall Street has now become a shelf in a cabinet, above the eye-line of a small child, at Millennium Point.
 
Just noticed some old chats about Elkingtons, my aunty Beryl started there before the war, if I remember correctly she told me her office was just above the main entrance. The company moved to Goscote nr Walsall I think during the war, it later merged with two other companies and became British Silverware Ltd. I joined my aunt in 1963 and worked there until closure in 1965.
 
I worked for W.Canning&Co. From March 1963 to November 1972, wonderful treasured years. Elkingtons/British Silverware was one of so many customers that I remember. Many great names that are sadly no longer with us.
 
coleighf said:
I worked for W.Canning&Co. From March 1963 to November 1972, wonderful treasured years. Elkingtons/British Silverware was one of so many customers that I remember. Many great names that are sadly no longer with us.
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Mr. Stainforth, who lived across the road, drove a lorry for Canning's, a low-sided articulated lorry loaded with straw-lined metal-mesh baskets, protecting glass carboys and not a Hazchem label in sight!
 
Thank you Mark. I’m sure Radiorails will appreciate seeing the photos of tram #395 (as per the drawing he owns in post #244) Lovely.

And the quality of all your photos is excellent ! It’s providing us with a wonderful visually informative and detailed record.

I’d like to copy your street lamp photo to our Street furniture thread if that’s ok ? It’s a very memorable and commonplace piece in many of our member’s childhoods. Viv.
 
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Vivienne14 said:
Thank you Mark. I’m sure Radiorails will appreciate seeing the photos of tram #395 (as per the drawing he owns in post #244) Lovely.

And the quality of all your photos is excellent ! It’s providing us with a wonderful visually informative and detailed record.

I’d like to copy your street lamp photo to our Street furniture thread if that’s ok ? It’s a very memorable and commonplace piece in many of our member’s childhoods. Viv.
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Hi Vivienne - yes please copy any of the photos as you please! Best regards- MARK
 
Thank you Mark, such wonderful memories and so sad to have lost all of this. My childhood rides on the trams will remain with me as long as I’m around, I loved them.
 
Love these photos. So interesting to see the details of the tram; beautiful and elegant metalwork on the top deck. And use being made of the underside of the stairs to display messages for passengers. Is that an awning above the driver’s position or a destination board ? Viv.
 
I think it is a pull out awning / sunshade - not 100% sure? Birmingham trams generally had the destinations on the sides, not the front.
 
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