Aston Manor Transport Museum Birmingham

[billw212]

Have any of you ever been to this museum ?
It is a small but brilliant museum where the members have worked so hard for many years to build it up . It is situated in the old Tram depot opposite Aston Villa football stadium and they have a superb collection of vehicles there and the welcome visitors get is always second to none.

However, they have a problem, a big one. Birmingham City Council have given them notice to quit the premises and the last time the museum will be open is at the end of October. This is a shock to everyone, I am wondering where all the vehicles will go.
A very sad time for a wonderful friendly museum that has been there for many years and is well known in the midlands.

Bill.

[Deleted]

Welcome to the forum Bill. Like you, most of us on here are into various forms of transport including ships, bikes, lorries, etc.

Lets hope the museum gets the donations and Lottery funding they are asking for. Obviously, Birmingham Council are in the same boat as the rest of us in that they are having to cut funding wherever possible.

Thanks for letting us know about it - for those that want to know a little more here's a link to the website.


www.amrtm.org/index1.html

[billw212]

Yes indeed, it is a sad time for them, but like you say, everybody is in the same "boat" these days.

Well this forum, I was told about it by a friend, who is member on here, because he lives in the North West, but I was not sure how I would fit in because I am in Buckinghamshire . But it seems a friendly site. I am an aircraft enthusiast, a bit past "my sell by date" now, I am retired and have been in the hobby since the 1960s, so I have seen some changes. It is a lot more technical now than it used to be. But I still enjoy it very much, it is a hobby which is quite innoffensive, and interesting. I dont really like to be glued to this PC, I would rather be out in the fresh air at an airport or airfield enjoying the hobby as it should be.

Bill

[groundhugger]

Is that the one near the Villa stadium , an old tram depot ,

[Deleted]

That's the one groundhugger.

Bill, it doesn't matter where you live, North West Air News is just a title. Although mainly covering the UK's North West region the site boasts members from all corners of the globe and as such just about every airport/subject you can think of can, will be, or has been covered. Hopefully, you will let us know happening in your neck of the woods next time you pop out to an airport.

Steve

[groundhugger]

So How much will the City Council actually save by closing the museum ? it cant be that much ?

[Deleted]

The Council where up until two years ago allowing the museum to stay rent free. The current rent is £43k pa but they haven't paid anything over the past two years so owe £86k. The council will write off this debt if they can show that they can obtain funding from elsewhere and a campaign has been launched to do just that.

It seems strange therefore that they are holding two open days the weekend after next 10/11th September but aren't charging admission. Seems to me to be a fund raising opportunity missed. I suppose the could be viewing it as a sprat to catch a mackerel. Lets hope they know what their doing.

[billw212]

Yes it is such a shame, because the Museum was really "born" from the hobby of preserving buses, trams and other vehicles.
I have to admit I cannot understand "where they are coming from" with those weekends either, but hopefully they know what they are doing.
Now I dont know if it is ok to put a link on here and if it is not, I apologise, but I have a forum to do with buses, Coventry buses actually before 1974, of which at least one, is at Aston Manor, bus number 334. My forum is www.cwk205.com and it is only a small forum but is doing ok and of course we have been talking about the dilemma at Aston Manor.
As a guest you can only see part of the main board, but you are welcome to have "a butchers" see what you think.

With reference to me being on here but living here in Bucks,I have found this a smashing site up to now, and everyone is friendly. When I "pop" out to an airport or even Cranfield, my local spot, I will let you the news from there, whatever is about, some days it is busy some days quiet, it all depends, but it is all light aircraft "stuff" at Cranfield, but you might find the report(s) interesting, I will see what I can do.

Finally, is there any way on this forum, where I can recieve notification by e mail, when someone replies to a post on here ? I have looked at my profile, and looked generally, but unless I have missed it I cannot see anyway to activate such a thing. Any ideas please ?

Bill.

[Deleted]

Sept 2, 2011 4:55:21 GMT 1 billw212 said:

Finally, is there any way on this forum, where I can recieve notification by e mail, when someone replies to a post on here ? I have looked at my profile, and looked generally, but unless I have missed it I cannot see anyway to activate such a thing. Any ideas please ?

Bill.

Don't know about this one but if you send a personal message to Dave Graham (the sites moderator) I'm sure he will know the answer.

derbosoft.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=viewprofile&user=davegraham

Steve

[groundhugger]

this seems to be a replay of the 'Millom museum' fiasco where a rent free or peppercorn rent is replaced by a commercial rent , which is obviously not sustainable to the museum concerned , £850 a week + utility bills , I think the Council will hope they can re-let those premises out but given the run down area its in I doubt it ,
If the building is 'listed' and only suitable for certain things , perhaps thats the leverage they can use to keep the museum alive , and re-negotiate a viable deal .