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Science Museum Newhall Street

I presume it must be part of the Whitmore arm (in blue on the map), but not quite clear where the photos were taken . The out of date google view does not really show it
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Work in progress looking from above the Queens, Newhall Street.

Whitmore’s Arm would have passed behind the old Warehouse?

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I see now from the map posted by Pedrocut that the Whitmore arm was from the Birmingham & Fazeley but passed under some building so the canal is not too clear on the maps. It is amassing how much there was to the canal network when you take into account all the wharves, arms and basins especially in the city centre.
I first walked these canals when they were not accessible as all the street entrances were blocked off. I walked down the Farmers Bridge locks to the bottom from Gas Street and it was a bit frightening with all the high walls forming a dark canyon. Having been brought up in Oldbury where all the canals were open I found it odd in Birmingham with the entrances blocked off.
 
The museum holds great memories for me. My friend David and I would go to lectures in the art gallery on Saturday mornings on our own. We were only about 8 or 9 years old in 1951/2 (Can you imagine that happening today ). After the lecture we would walk down Newhall St to the science museum for a happy hour before returning home for lunch.

One of the exhibits that sticks in my mind is a wall planer which I think had come out of Mathew Boulton's works. The carriage was mounted on cast iron sections mounted on the wall and was driven along with a lead screw which was about 3 ins diameter x 30 ft ? long. The original screw was displayed in a case with a caption to say it had been cut by hand. A new one had been made in the 1920s. Does anybody know if it still exists?

I wonder if there are any lectures on Sat mornings at the Art Gallery.

Lots of memories.

Regards from Redruth

Arnold

















d
 
HI Arnold, welcome to the forum. The lead screw in the case is in the museum store at Dolman Street
 
Thanks for the information.
Presumably from that the main part of the machine has not been preserved. I am not surprised, it would be a large lump of metal to find room for.

Regards

Arnold
 
To the best of my knowledge they keep all of the exhibits, even the large items. They do loan stuff out to other museums too.
 
I would imagine so, but where I do not know. I did look through my photos, as I was in the museum store in 2018 but looks like I did not snap it on that visit.

I do remember the one on the case and how worn it was.

I know a couple of the staff at the museum, so will ask when I see them again.
 
Morturn said:
I would imagine so, but where I do not know. I did look through my photos, as I was in the museum store in 2018 but looks like I did not snap it on that visit.

I do remember the one on the case and how worn it was.

I know a couple of the staff at the museum, so will ask when I see them again.
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Thank you! I did some searches to no avail! However I did find some other great pieces of information.
 
I took the photos on a visit to the Museum store in Dolman Street. This machine is a button making machine that was on display at Newhall Street. It used to work, it fascinated me. Would watch it for hours
 
Morturn said:
I took the photos on a visit to the Museum store in Dolman Street. This machine is a button making machine that was on display at Newhall Street. It used to work, it fascinated me. Would watch it for hours
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Mortimer, wonderful stuff. I have seen equipment early on in my career like that running. Also quite recently in India, China and South America in rural areas making bottle tops or crowns.
 
boomy said:
Attached are some of the pictures I took many moons ago at one of the Steam Weekends organised by the Museum of Science & Industry in Newhall Street. You will get nothing like this organised by Millennium Pointless, and even if they did, our crazy council would slap a huge Pollution Charge on them! There is nothing to compare with steam powered machinery; the smell of hot oil and smoke, the hissing of steam, the gentle thud of pistons and valve gear, and the heat coming off the boilers - magic!
Boomy
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Lovely memories! My dad worked at the museum from 1963 - 1996. That rally pictured was the very last one in 1995. It had been held every second Sunday in May since 1960. Still breaks my heart to see the museum gone, but the memories will stay forever.
 
Yes it is very sad that the Museum has gone. I have not been to the Think Tank but judging by some of the comments that have been made it seems to be geared towards young children and also dumbed down. Generally I do not like modern museums- you spend ages looking at video displays describing the objects waiting for them to the get the beginning.
I would much rather read a card with the description.

Regards from Redruth

Arnold
 
My dad Keith on duty manning the junction of Mary Ann Street/Newhall Street at the 1976 museum traction engine rally during the grand parade. I've been pondering the thought of arranging a couple of traction engines (that used to attend and still with owners from the museum days) to trundle along that old parade route and sit outside for a couple of hours where they used to sit for the rally in honour of those great days. I can still smell the steam, hot oil, coal smoke and unique atmosphere of those bygone days at the museum and regularly keep in contact with the engine owners. We tried to get a traction engine rally held outside Think Tank but those plans were sadly defunct. Memories remain though. Very very happy ones
 

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Some more Newhall Street traction engine rally shots. 1970, 1962, 1982 and two exhibitors rally plaques given to engine owners who attended. The black and white shows the 1927 Burrell engine "Busy Bee" which was donated to the museum that same year 1962 by Frank Holl. She now resides at the Museum Collection Centre, alongside the museum's former 1892 Aveling Steam roller. Both engines were last steamed in 1992.
 

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One more shot. The City of Birmingham loco being off loaded on to her new home in May 1966. I attended her removal on 2 December 2000 and it was a very solemn occasion to see her go. My dad who worked at the museum when the loco originally arrived was understandably moved as we both watched this magnificent machine move up Newhall Street on her low loader to pastures new.
 

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Victorian Extravaganza said:
One more shot. The City of Birmingham loco being off loaded on to her new home in May 1966. I attended her removal on 2 December 2000 and it was a very solemn occasion to see her go. My dad who worked at the museum when the loco originally arrived was understandably moved as we both watched this magnificent machine move up Newhall Street on her low loader to pastures new.
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Where are 'City of Birmingham' and tram 395 now?
Bob
 
Was it Roy Snodin who renovated two Foden steam wagons, both now in the museum collection?
 
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