Transport Gallery

Joseph Tangye (1826-1902) on a velocipede, probably Wolverhampton, West Midlands. Around 1870

The velocipede in the photograph is very similar to the one in the collection of the Royal Cornwall Museum (TRURI : 1937.34). Tangye's Cornwall Works in Birmingham built large numbers of velocipedes, paying a royalty to the French Velocipede Company in order to make the bicycles. The five sons of Joseph Tangye senior, an Illogan miner, commenced their engineering and manufacturing business together in Birmingham in 1856. James (1825-1912), the eldest, was very skilled with the lathe; Joseph (1826-1902) was the creative engineer; Richard (1833-1906) dealt with public relations and sales; George (1835-1920) was the businessman; while Edward (1832-1909), a Quaker, soon left to found his own business. Velocipedes, also known as Boneshakers, due to their iron tyres, were one of the many things that were manufactured at the Cornwall Works. The business also provided the hydraulic rams required to launch the Great Eastern, Brunel's ill-fated steel ship in 1857-1858, and to raise Cleopatra's Needle to its present position on the London Embankment in 1878. The first direct-acting steam pumps in Europe were made at the Cornwall Works in 1867 and the firm produced James Tangye's horizontal steam engines from 1869. By 1876 the firm employed 1300 workers. The Tangyes were also philanthropists and from 1880 were founders and major benefactors of the Birmingham Art Gallery and Museum and the Birmingham School of Art. Photographer: Edward Hill, 39, Darlington Street, Wolverhampton

© From the collection of the RIC

Airship over Truro, Cornwall. 1914 -1918

By 1916, German U-boats were sinking many merchant vessels and Royal Navy warships in the English Channel. It was decided to use airships to combat them and a major airship station, RNAS Mullion, was constructed on the Bonython Estate on the Lizard. Spread over 320 acres the complex contained everything from accommodation blocks, two airship hangars and gas storage tanks. The C9 airship known as "the darling of the Airship Service" was based at Mullion. In her period of service from June 1916 to September 1918 she flew 3,270 hours, had one confirmed kill on a U-boat and three probable kills, covered more than 68,000 miles and is reported to have never missed a patrol in her 805 days of service. Photographer: Unknown

© From the collection of the RIC

Portable steam engine breakdown. Wheal Rose, Scorrier, Cornwall. About 1910-1920

The image shows a portable steam engine that could have been pulled by horses or a traction engine. However, this example is fitted with an eyed drawbar so it would have been pulled by a traction engine. The engine shown is small and used for driving farm machinery. The funnel is lowered for transit in this image but when erected would stand between 10-12ft high. Judging by the governors housing on the cylinder block this engine is an old example. It would appear that the studs securing the axle boss have pulled out of the sideplate causing the engine to drop on the offside. The wagon to the left of the image is loaded with sawn timber which could mean it was a portable sawmill going from farm to farm

© From the collection of the RIC