I've been to the Birmingham Museum Collection Centre twice in the past. During an open day in May 2012 and another open day during Birmingham Heritage Week back in September 2018. Here we will look at some of the objects stored in the warehouse. It reminds you of the big warehouse in the Indiana Jones movies (the 1st and 4th ones). But no swinging on Indy's whip in here!

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A variety of objects in the Warehouse at the Birmingham Museum Collection Centre


A variety of objects in the Warehouse at the Birmingham Museum Collection Centre


I've been to the Birmingham Museum Collection Centre twice in the past. During an open day in May 2012 and another open day during Birmingham Heritage Week back in September 2018. Here we will look at some of the objects stored in the warehouse. It reminds you of the big warehouse in the Indiana Jones movies (the 1st and 4th ones). But no swinging on Indy's whip in here!


Remember the scene at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark, when the Ark of the Covenant was placed in a warehouse in Area 51? (later revisited in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull). Well the warehouse at the Birmingham Museum Collection Centre is a bit like that. Most objects are not in crates, but on shelves all over (there are some objects in crates though).

Located at 25 Dollman Street in Nechells (near Vauxhall). It is also near Duddeston Station (on the Cross City Line and Chase Line). Formerly run by Birmingham City Council, it is now run by the Birmingham Museums Trust.

I've been to two open days over the years. One during a Sunday in May 2012. And another in September 2018 during Birmingham Heritage Week.

 

Entering the warehouse at the Birmingham Museum Collection Centre on the 13th May 2012. There was a pair of volunteers in yellow jackets at the open day.

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There is many rows of shelves all through the warehouse. But on your visit you can only see the items on the bottom shelf.

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Some rows were closed off to visitors.

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I think only staff can go up the steps in here (not members of the public visiting on an open day).

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Another view of the shelves during the Birmingham Heritage Week open day on the 16th September 2018. On the second visit was hard to find objects I'd not seen 6 years previously.

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Now back to the May 2012 open day visit.

An old red telephone box. I think it is type K6. Designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Most phone boxes are now obsolete, or not as used as much as we all have smartphones  (or mobile phones) now. Some have been converted into small coffee shops or had defibrillator machines installed.

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Next up was a Boiler Feed Pump. It was built by J. Evans & Sons of Wolverhampton circa 1920 and it was made for the Round Oak Steel Works. This type of Pump is also known as a Banjo Steam Feed Pump.

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This was a Weighing Machine. It was a pendulum operated weighing machine made by W & T Avery of Birmingham in 1900.

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Two objects here. On the left was a Tensile Testing Machine. Made in 1950 for Loughborough College. Colleges used machines like this to stretch materials. On the right was a Small Crank Operated Power Press. It was used over 50 years ago to stamp small metal components by Edwin Lowe, Bearing Manufacturers of Perry Barr, Birmingham

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A pair of Clock Machines. These two clocking-in machines dated to 1920 were made by the International Time Reading Company. I'm used to modern clocking-in machines where you put a card into a machine and it prints the time you clocked in our out, but is digital, unlike these analogue ones.

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I didn't make a note of what these machines were used for. I usually take a photo of the information sign, but didn't with these machines.

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This was labelled as Cycle. It was a Railway track inspection cycle used by platelayers.

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Finally we have a Press. This was a power press made by Taylor & Challen, Birmingham in 1888. From the factory of Gordon & Munro Ltd., Tipton.

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Six years later. Some of the objects I found in the warehouse during the September 2018 open day during Birmingham Heritage Week.

First up was a Soda Water Plant. This machine was used at Military Staff College in Camberley for making and bottling Soda Water from the mid to late 19th century. Siphons were also refilled there. This was a machine I'd previously seen on my fist visit back in 2012.

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Next up we have a Hotchkiss 47mm Naval Gun. The gun was captured from the Chinese torpedo boat destroyer 'Taku' during the Boxer Rebellion of 1900.

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This is The 'Netley' Carriage. It was made at R.A. Harding Limited in 1955. It was an aids works hand operated tricycle. It would have allowed wheelchair users greater mobility. This model was recommended for hilly districts.

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Next up we have a Ariel 'Pixie' Motorcycle. It was made by Ariel Motors Ltd in Birmingham in 1965. I previously saw it here in 2012 as well. They don't seem to move the objects.

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Another motorcycle. This one was a Douglas 4hp Motorcycle. Was made in 1918. The Douglas Engineering Company was formed in Bristol in 1882. They produced a large amount of motorcycles in 1914 for the war effort. Douglas Motors Limited ended production in 1957. I had also seen this one before in 2012.

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Finally we have a Petrol Pump. Dating to 1932. It was a electrically operated petrol pump used by a Birmingham Company to refill delivery vehicles.

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There is also bronze and marbles busts in here, but will leave thoese to a future post.

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

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