Aston Manor Road Transport Museum
Our current situation
The Museum closed its doors at Witton for the final time on Sunday October 30th 2011. We were unable to convince Birmingham City Council of the value of the Museum to the City and, crucially, to be given a reasonable period in which to raise what would have been a quite significant sum of money to secure the premises and therefore the Museum for future generations.
Leading up to the new year, many hours were spent by our dedicated members and volunteers involved with the massive task of clearing out our collection from the site at Witton. The keys to Witton have now been returned to Birmingham City Council, which closes another chapter in the historic building's history.
It seems no secret in the press or on the internet that the majority of our collection has moved to a building in Aldridge. At the present time this is just for storage and is not open to the public. Negotiations are underway with our landlords in the hope that we can work together to create a new museum on the site.
In the meantime, you are welcome to join and support us through......................
our Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=121653011203561
Although our future is still uncertain, our past is well documented, and the old Aston Manor website will still remain online as a reminder of this
Continue to Old Aston Manor home page
Following the successful move out of our former premises at Witton, much work has been taking place at our new storage site on Beecham Business Park, Aldridge.
This has involved work being done to vehicles, of which very early Ford Transit EEA 508D is probably the most surprising. We have had this truck in our collection from the beginning and have done very little to it in the meantime. Now it is on blocks with all the wheels off while the braking system is overhauled. The plan is to prepare it for MoT and then make it available for running around in, moving or collecting spares for other projects.
Also receiving major work is our newest bus, MCW Metrorider F685 YOG. A few panels had been removed when it was still at Witton, but now major work is taking place with an inevitable amount of welding to the framework. Despite the reputation these buses had for corrosion problems, this is by no means the worst example and very much repairable. It will be restored to its condition when working for the Metrowest subsidiary of West Midlands Travel, back in the 90’s.
Birmingham Tramcar 107 is also having cosmetic work done to it. While its rightful home should have been Witton Tram Depot, we decided to move it to Aldridge where one of the local residents has taken it on as a project to cosmetically restore the lower saloon that survives. A full restoration back to running condition is very unlikely as this would be a significant 6-figure cost and funding for that remote.
A start is also being made on all the archive material removed from Witton and boxed up, or moved separately if too big for boxes. This will also enable us to consider what items are surplus to the requirements of the potential new museum that we hope can open later this year. Those items will then be disposed of by a variety of means.
Support has been very encouraging, and large numbers of people have been turning up to help when we have work days / evenings.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
We may not be open to the public yet, but we have two events planned as tasters for the future where you will be able to ride on our vehicles again – and we hope they will raise funds to assist us to build a successful future at Aldridge.
Sunday April 15th – a running day with services connecting to Walsall and Sutton Coldfield. There should also be a one-off service running from Birmingham City Centre in the morning and returning in the afternoon with one of Roger Burdett’s buses providing the transport. For more details and information on sales stands and other visiting buses contact Richard Gray at: richard.gray7@btinternet.com or ring / fax on 0121 449 4606.
The timetable covering all the services from Beecham Business Park, Northgate, Aldridge is appended below:
SERVICE 6
MUSEUM SITE @ NORTHGATE ALDRIDGE via Northgate, Anchor Road, Portland Road, Erdington Road, Little Aston Road, Aldridge Road, Walsall Road, Four Oaks Road, Lichfield Road, High Street, Mill Street, Victoria Road, Lower Queen Street, South Parade, Lower Parade and return.
Museum (inside grounds) 11.15 12.15 13.15 14.15 15.15
Aldridge Crown 11.18 12.18 13.18 14.18 15.18
Sutton Coldfield L. Parade arr. 11.33 12.33 13.33 14.33 15.33
Sutton Coldfield L. Parade dep. 11.35 12.35 13.35 14.35 15.35
Aldridge Crown 11.50 12.50 13.50 14.50 15.50
Museum (outside) 11.53 12.53 13.53 14.53 15.53
SERVICE 53
MUSEUM SITE @ NORTHGATE ALDRIDGE via Northgate, Anchor Road, Portland Road, Walsall Road, Birmingham Road, Barr Common Road, Longwood Road, Beacon Road, Queslett Road, Queslett Road East, Thornhill Road, Hardwick Road, Little Hardwick Road, Barr Common Road, Birmingham Road, Walsall Road, Portland Road, Anchor Road, Northgate to Museum.
Museum (inside grounds) 10.45 11.45 12.45 13.45 14.45
Aldridge Crown 10.48 11.48 12.48 13.48 14.48
Horns of Queslett 10.58 11.58 12.58 13.58 14.58
Hardwick (Church) 11.08 12.08 13.08 14.08 15.08
Aldridge Crown 11.20 12.20 13.20 14.20 15.20
Museum (outside) 11.23 12.23 13.23 14.23 15.23
SERVICE 55
MUSEUM SITE @ NORTHGATE ALDRIDGE via Northgate, Anchor Road, Portland Road, Walsall Road, Station Road, Redhouse Lane, Bosty Lane, Daw End Lane, Lichfield Road, Lichfield Street, Littleton Street, Stafford Street, St. Paul’s Street to Hatherton Road, return via Hatherton Road and Lichfield Street.
Museum (inside grounds) 10.00 then half hourly to 16.00
Aldridge Crown 10.03 then half hourly to 16.03
Walsall Hatherton Rd. arr. 10.18 then half hourly to 16.18
Walsall Hatherton Rd. dep. 10.20 then half hourly to 16.18
Aldridge Crown 10.35 then half hourly to 16.35
Museum (outside) 10.38 then half hourly to 16.38
Tuesday June 5th - Two museums is back! There will be a FREE bus service operating between Wythall and Aldridge on a half-hourly basis throughout the day.
These first 2 events will have a special admission charge of £3 adults, £2 children and £8 family ticket (2 or 3 children), while April 15th will include an additional £2 programme with full details of the services being run and an update on the progress leading towards opening a new museum at Aldridge.
Sunday July 8th – our long-standing Open Day when all types of preserved and in-service vehicles and buses will be welcome. Same contact details as above.
Please continue to support Aston Manor, although if we do reopen expect a change in title, but we will still be known as AMRTM.
We currently have no phone number to contact us, but please email us at amrtm1@aol.co.uk
Click here for photos of our move to Aldridge.