Discover the objects on display at the Museum of Science and Industry telling the story of Manchester's scientific past, present and future.
Aeronautics
1954
Avro Shackleton A.E.W.2 reconnaissance aircraft, Military Service No. WR 960, made by A. V. Roe & Co. Ltd, Woodford, 1954.
Space Technology
2015
Sokol KV-2 emergency suit as worn by British ESA astronaut Tim Peake during the Principia mission to the International Space Station, 2015-16, RD&PE ‘Zvezda’ Joint-Stock Company, 39 Gogol Street, Tomilino, Moscow Region, 140070 Russian Federation.
1952; 1952
Avro 707A aeroplane, manufactured by A. V. Roe & Co. Ltd at Chadderton and assembled at Bracebridge Heath in 1952.
Computing & Data Processing
1998
Replica of the 'Baby' or SSEM computer, built by the Computer Conservation Society in 1998. The original 'Baby' was the world's first stored-program computer and ran its first program on 21 June 1948.
Locomotives and Rolling Stock
1873
Isle of Man Railway locomotive no. 3, named 'Pender', Order Number 2965 made by Beyer, Peacock & Co. Ltd, Gorton Works, Manchester, 1873.
Motive Power
1907
Firgrove Mill tandem compound condensing engine, made by J. & W. McNaught, Rochdale, c.1907.
P1A prototype experimental jet, made by the English Electric Co., Preston, c.1954.
1952
Replica of the 1909 Roe I Triplane, made by A.V. Roe Ltd apprentices, Chadderton, c.1952.
Soyuz TMA-19M descent module, S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Public Corporation “Energia”, Russia, 2015
Orthopaedics
1850-1910
Artificial arm, steel with brass wrist mountings, leather top piece, European, 1840-1940.
1911
Pakistan Railways steam locomotive, no. 3157, made at the Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows, c. 1911, with accompanying illustrative transfers.
BR Class 77 EM2 electric locomotive no. 27001, named 'Ariadne', made by London & North Eastern Railway Works, Manchester, 1954, with associated archive material.
Aircraft Propulsion
Merlin 45 aeroplane engine, made by Rolls-Royce Ltd, Crewe, c.1940. 12 cylinder arrangement with the lower dual ignition sectioned for demonstration purposes and fitted with electric motor to turn it around. Formally part of the UMIST study collection, this engine has been sectioned and motorised for instructional use. The Mark 45 Merlin was used to power Supermarine Spitfire III and V fighters.
1928
Avro 594 Avian Mk IIIA, civil registration code G-EBZM, two-seater sports biplane made by A. V. Roe Ltd, Newton Heath, Manchester, 1928.
1970-1972
Trident 3B 'G-AWZP' aircraft flight deck and nose, made by Hawker Siddeley Aviation Ltd, Hatfield, c.1971.
'Lucky Jim' toy cat mascot, formerly owned by Jack Alcock and with him during the first non-stop transatlantic flight in 1919.
Road Transport
1985
Sinclair C5 electric vehicle, made by Sinclair Vehicles Ltd and Hoover plc, c.1985.
Electricity Supply
1900
Inverted vertical cross-compound steam engine, made by S. Z. de Ferranti Ltd, Hollinwood, 1900 and fitted with Siemens alternator. Sometimes known as a 'Ferranti Steam Alternator.'
1912
1912 Ford Model T motor car, made in Trafford Park, Manchester.
Astronomy
1718-1747
Orrery showing Sun, Earth & Moon by Thomas Wright, London early 18th century. Modified for display with wooden base (removed) and later separate pulley to drive wheelwork (removed).
Anatomy & Pathology
1731-1770
Carved wooden male anatomical figure showing musculative and arterial system, right arm missing. Made in Switzerland, mid-18th century. Copy/variation of the full-scale statue produced by Jean-Antoine Houdon in Paris in 1767.
Hand and Machine Tools
1740
Ornamental turning 'rose-engine' lathe, unsigned, Germany, c. 1740
1973
RB211-22B jet engine made by Rolls-Royce Ltd, Derby, 1973 (on transport stand with intake cover). Formerly fitted to British Caledonian Lockheed L1011-100 Tristar G-BBAJ
1501-1600
Articulated artificial left hand and forearm, iron, European, 16th century
1935
D.H.89a Dragon Rapide aeroplane G-ADAH, made by the De Havilland Aircraft Co. Ltd, Hatfield, 1935.
1960
Bristol Belvedere helicopter HC1 XG454 made by Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd, Bristol, c.1960
1976 Weslake Mark 1 speedway bike ridden by Peter Collins to win the Individual World Speedway Championship in 1976.
1894
Horizontal single-cylinder oil engine, made by Crossley Brothers Ltd, Manchester, c.1894. Single cylinder heavy oil engine, a four stroke principle, horizontal type, with cylinder over hung at rear. Feed oil tank contained in base of casting so this was a self contained unit except for water to cool it.
1927
Three-cylinder air-blast vertical diesel-injection engine, no.46724/27, made by Mirrlees, Bickerton & Day Ltd, Stockport, 1927.
Lifting & Mechanical Handling
Hydraulic accumulator, made by Mather & Platt Ltd, Newton Heath, Manchester, c.1907.
1904
Motor car, made by the Imperial Autocar Manufacturing Co. Ltd, Manchester, 1904.
1965
Replica of Newcomen type atmospheric vertical steam engine made by the Mechanical Engineering Department, UMIST, 1965.
Cab of EM1 electric locomotive, made by the London & North Eastern Railway Company, Gorton, Manchester, and Metropolitan-Vickers, Trafford Park, c.1952.
1943
'Ohka' ('Cherry Blossom') MXY7 Model 11 piloted bomb, made by Dai-Ichi Kaigun Koku Gijitsusho, Yokosuka, Japan, 1945.
Textile Industry
Roving frame, made by Platt Brothers & Co. Ltd, Oldham, 1927, and used at Elk Mill, Royton.
Regis 6 motor car, made by Crossley Motors Ltd, Manchester, with collection of related articles and other information, c.1935.
1910
Steam-driven high-speed electricity generating set, comprising a steam engine made by Ashworth & Parker, Bury, and generator made by Mather & Platt, Manchester, 1910.
Langton-JAP speedway motorcycle, designed, built and ridden by Eric Langton for Belle Vue Aces speedway team in 1946 & 1947. Eric Langton was a prominent Belle Vue Aces Speedway rider in the interwar period, and returned to race in 1946 and 1947
Automation mechanism, for ornamental turning 'rose-engine' lathe, unsigned, German, c. 1740
Scientific Instruments & Research
Horseshoe-shaped electromagnet used by James Joule, c.1840. This electromagnet was used by the scientist James Joule for experiments about energy. Joule was a Salford resident and the son of a brewer. He was taught by the famous scientist John Dalton. Joule's experiments in 1845 led him to an new understanding of energy conversion.
1923
Bradshaw motorcycle made by DOT Motors Ltd, Manchester, 1923
c. 1910
Jacquard hand loom, made by W. Archer, Bolton, c. 1910.
Photographs
c. 1810
Drawn silhouette of woman, made in Halifax; descriptive label on rear (see over). 65x92mm brass matte, in passe-partout. A machine-made silhouette of a woman wearing an elaborate hat, initiated by an unknown maker in about 1810.
1880
Hot-air engine made by Sir W. H. Bailey & Co. Ltd, Salford, c. 1880. Horizontal pistons with crankshaft overhead, flywheel a one side. Water circulating pump, rocking levels for hot and displacement pistons. Large cast iron closed cylinders at the back which was built into the fire box. Brick fire box with cast iron doors and chimney. Fuel for heating could be anything that could burn. Centrifugal governor with ball weights to control speed.
1974
70-70F mass spectrometer, made by VG Micromass, Winsford, 1974 and used at the University of Oxford for research into the metabolites of cannabis, with associated manuals & research papers.
Radar & Radio Location
Ferranti/Marconi AI-24 Foxhunter air interception radar, as fitted to BAe Tornado F3 interceptors, on serving trolley.
c.1930s
Silver picture frame holding a potrait photograph of Speedway rider Eric Langton wearing a British Lions jersey, some time in the 1930s. Eric Langton was a prominent Belle Vue Aces Speedway rider in the interwar period, and returned to race in 1946 and 1947
Scales made by R. Sutcliffe, Manchester.
1874
Vertical single-cylinder atmospheric gas engine, made by Crossley Brothers Ltd, Openshaw, Manchester, c.1874. No 1224. Two flywheel cylinder atmospheric free piston gas engine. Two flywheels with ratchet gear on driving shaft which allows the piston and rack to be blown up by the expulsion of gas in the cylinder, and the piston falling by vacuum and its own weight, drives the flywheels as the ratchet engines. This was the first type of internal combustion engine to compress the explosive mixture before firing it. Label embossed on engine shaft: "Otto Langen & Crossley's Patents Crossley Bros Manchester Sole English & Colonial Makers".
1957
1:20 scale Avro Vulcan B2 aircraft wind tunnel model made by Hawker Siddeley Aviation Ltd, Manchester, c.1957