Re: Museums
 

Pendon model railway https://www.pendonmuseum.com/ I am sure lots of the forum are interested in model railways, this one is super and air conditioned (just right for today! 28C in the shade). There is also a radio aerial on one of the 1930's houses...

Re: Museums
 

I can't recall how many decades ago it was when I visited it, but it was certainly before I moved to Cumbria nearly thirty years ago.

Re: Museums
 

The Battle of Britain Bunker, went there this afternoon and had a private tour of the interesting bits (been on the 'normal tour' before)

Some pics, lots of stairs (pedantically lots of steps, 76 in all, only five stairs I suppose), electrics, the plotting table and air handling

Vintage gear in Feldkirch Austria
 

Hi Gents, just visited the old and interesting town of Feldkirch near the Bodensee and close to Germany and Switzerland.
They have an old (1908) hydro power station in the middle of the town.
5 sets in all probably running at less than 1MW total.
I didn't ask for a tour, but I suspect it is possible. The present gear looks 50's or 60's.

There was also a vintage radio museum in the town that I posted about a few years ago, but I couldn't locate it this time, possibly the owner has retired.

Ed

Re: Museums
 

Hi Gents, also of interest in this area is the Ill Werke hydro scheme in the Montafon valley. A good museum with all the details is located at Latchau near Golm and also in some other places.
This system is both direct Hydo as well as an impressive and increasing amount of pumped storage. Well worth a visit.

Ed

Re: Museums
 

It's very good there isn't it. Since I've been there, there's been quite a lot of changes/development to the old RAF Uxbridge site. Sad to see in a way, but that's 'development and progress'.

Re: Museums
 

I have recently returned from a holiday touring the Pacific NW of the USA. As is usual I try to fit in technology related museums, Mainly Radio, Electronics, Military, Aircraft and Cars. On my tour I took the opportunity to revisit the Spark Museum in Bellingham a beautiful town just south of the Canadian border.
I had previously written a short piece about my visit in 2015 https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=122193
This time I allowed myself a lot more time to spend on the Electricity and Thermionic devices sections, this museum has a particularly good collection including such rarities as some of Thomas Edison’s first lights from the late 1870S and 1880S including one of only 3 hook lights remaining, the 1832 patent model for the first continuous electrical generator (Pixii Dynamo) https://www.princeton.edu/ssp/joseph...amo/Dynamo.pdf and many others.
During my visit I caught up with Jonathan again and he most helpfully allowed me to photograph up close some of their rare early Fleming and Audion tubes.
The delightful part of being there was the helpfulness of the team and their willingness to engage which seems to be increasingly rare in the UK’s museums.
I again would highly recommend a visit there links with more info below:-
http://www.sparkmuseum.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmA_Iwx5iiY
Chris

Re: Museums
 

"KVOS TV Bellingham"

Used to watch that in the '70's

Lawrence.

Re: Museums
 

Local to me is the Eastney Beam Engine house, only open usually over the last weekend of the month but the website has more information, well worth a visit if steam & oil engines are your thing, they are for me!
I remember visiting the Isle of Wight Radio Museum in Arreton Manor some years ago, can't seem to find any trace of it on t'interweb though, peculiar.
If old machinery is your bag then there's the Twyford Water Works Museum, heard very good things about this but again only open at selected times, https://www.twyfordwaterworks.co.uk/
For those of us who favour two wheels with an engine there is of course the Sammy Miller collection at Fordingbridge https://sammymiller.co.uk/
There is also a small number of crafty type shops there to keep the better halves happy & a cracking good café, excellent bacon butties! ;D

Re: Museums
 

I believe it closed down, many years ago.

At the Amberley Museum of Technology in Sussex there is a large and eclectic collection of vintage radios, TVs, audio equipment etc and the volunteers are very willing to chat about it. There's also an amateur radio station if that's your thing.

Probably the best sections at Amberley are the large telephony and electrical displays, each in its own building.

Re: Museums
 

After having looked around a bit more thoroughly I found a reference to the Isle of Wight museum on this very forum!
It closed in 2007!
Must've been a LOT longer than I remember, apologies.
I've been to the Amberley museum & can confirm it is a most excellent day out. The Marx generator was a particular favourite with my then small children.

Re: Museums
 

Amberley also has a Baird televisor. There is no case (which means that the 'works' are visible) but the essential parts are original. The 'plate' neon has been replaced by a bank of red leds which simplifies the production of the picture but it essentially looks original. This is normally working when volunteers are present but not every day as the Museum is somewhat short of volunteers.

Edward

Re: Museums
 

Another plug for Beamish Museum, must be the best value for money going, we go every year and there is nearly always something new. It covers about 300 acres and has something of interest to everyone and once in everything is free except the Victorian steam fair. Not much in the way of radio although they have put on a 1950s show this year so expect to see some of the things I used to sell/service.

You can ride round on the tram all day if you like, they also have some replica early steam trains you can ride on and a coal mine you can got down if that appeals to you.

Peter

Tape recorder museum in Hungary
 

I was visited today by George Kovacs to collect a Ferrograph Series 6 for onward transport to a museum in Hungary. A likeable and fascinating gentleman. He gave me the information about his friend's museum. Here is the link:
http://www.magnomuzeum.hu/index_en.php?inf=kiallitas_en
Hope it is of use and not a repeat post?
Rob

Re: Museums
 

If you are in West Wales, near Cardigan,Ceredigion the Internal Fire Museum of Power is well worth visiting, there is a very good working display of telephones etc.
Cheers
John

Re: Orkney Wireless Museum
 

I don't think anyone has mentioned the radio museum at Hoswick on mainland Shetland, run by Cecil Duncan GM0EKM. It's some years since I visited and met Cecil, and now I have retired from sea I may not be up that way again, so I hope that Cecil is well and the museum is still going?

http://www.shetlandheritageassociati...visitor-centre

73

Roger/G3VKM

Re: Orkney Wireless Museum
 

Cecil is an occasional participant in this message board, so maybe he will see this and comment.

But last I heard, his display space had been reallocated for other exhibits and he was having to move out.

It seems to be a common occurrence - vintage wireless technology is no longer valued as an educational resource, nor regarded as of any interest to the general public. With people in Britain now expected to work in call centres, burger bars, and warehouses - rather than engineering - it's not really surprising.

Re: Orkney Wireless Museum
 

Yes, I was in Hoswick last May and the radio section (in a gift shop) has sadly dwindled away.

Re: Orkney Wireless Museum
 

The first time I ever made it to the Science Museum (London) in the mid noughties I was surprised by how minimal the radio communications section was. I knew, anecdotally, that the museum had had its own amateur radio station at one time.

I was actually much more impressed by the radio museum section / hut at what was then Amberley Chalk Pits museum, nestled in a chink in the South Downs.

Re: Orkney Wireless Museum
 

The radio museum section at Duxford is impressive. Military and some HAM operating from there.