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.

View attachment 208983

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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!

 

[Antnee]

I don't know if my memory it playing iup but I remember going to the old Science Museum in the 1960's and remember seeing the just the cockpit section of a Bristol Beaufighter. ( I don't know if there was a shadow factory building them in the midlands, a most of the were built in Bristol and here in Weston Super Mare) Just a few years ago now I emailed the Museum to ask if they still had it on show, I was surprized they never had the curtesy to acknowledge the email let alone give me an answer.
Does anyone on here remember seeing it ( this is what it looked like) Thanks for a very interesting forum.

 

[Morturn]

I don't know if my memory it playing iup but I remember going to the old Science Museum in the 1960's and remember seeing the just the cockpit section of a Bristol Beaufighter. ( I don't know if there was a shadow factory building them in the midlands, a most of the were built in Bristol and here in Weston Super Mare) Just a few years ago now I emailed the Museum to ask if they still had it on show, I was surprized they never had the curtesy to acknowledge the email let alone give me an answer.
Does anyone on here remember seeing it ( this is what it looked like) Thanks for a very interesting forum.

There was an aeroplane cockpit like the one in your photo at the Newhall Street Museum right at the far end of the museum where you crossed over a redundant canal arm to the building that housed the Spitfire and Hurricane. I remember it because as a curious kid I was just bursting to sit in it and have a twiddle with all the knobs and leavers.

 

[Stokkie]

I don't know if my memory it playing iup but I remember going to the old Science Museum in the 1960's and remember seeing the just the cockpit section of a Bristol Beaufighter. ( I don't know if there was a shadow factory building them in the midlands, a most of the were built in Bristol and here in Weston Super Mare) Just a few years ago now I emailed the Museum to ask if they still had it on show, I was surprized they never had the curtesy to acknowledge the email let alone give me an answer.
Does anyone on here remember seeing it ( this is what it looked like) Thanks for a very interesting forum.

Apparently the Beaufighter cockpit section can be seen at Midland Air Museum, Baginton where it is on long term loan which occurred before the building of Think Tank. At least it will be seen by many aircraft enthusiasts there.
Discussed at https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/83678-midland-air-musem-beaufighter-cockpit

https://midlandairmuseum.uk