New transport museum scheme could cost £40,000 (1959)

The scheme for the establishment of a transport museum in Belfast, consideration of which was deferred by the Belfast Corporation Finance Committee, involved the raising of a loan of £40,000 for acquisition and adaptation of premises at Tamar Street, Belfast, reported the News Letter.
By Darryl Armitage
Published 4th Dec 2023, 11:00 BST
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The Finance Committee, as had already been announced, had deferred further consideration of the proposal, along with one for the establishment of a period museum at Malone House, Barnett Demesne, until the town clerk (Mr J Dunlop) had reported generally on the functions of the City Council after the museum and art gallery has been transferred to the board of trustees to be set up by the Ministry of Finance.

A sub-committee's report stated that since 1953 the transport collection had developed “very considerably” by the inclusion of trains, locomotives, rail coaches, “veteran” cars, together with a wealth of related material.

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The collection, including items promised but not yet collected, consisted of about 120 vehicles and 60 models, as well as a considerable quantity of other equipment, ranging from a 60-ton locomotive to a four-ounce model of a curragh.

The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum is one of the finest in Europe, displays Ireland's largest and most comprehensive transport collection, from horse-drawn carts to Irish built motor cars, and from the mighty steam locomotives that graced our railways to the history of ship and aircraft building. Picture: Tony Pleavin/Northern Ireland Tourist BoardThe Ulster Folk and Transport Museum is one of the finest in Europe, displays Ireland's largest and most comprehensive transport collection, from horse-drawn carts to Irish built motor cars, and from the mighty steam locomotives that graced our railways to the history of ship and aircraft building. Picture: Tony Pleavin/Northern Ireland Tourist Board
The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum is one of the finest in Europe, displays Ireland's largest and most comprehensive transport collection, from horse-drawn carts to Irish built motor cars, and from the mighty steam locomotives that graced our railways to the history of ship and aircraft building. Picture: Tony Pleavin/Northern Ireland Tourist Board

The News Letter noted: “Already acquired were 30 horse-drawn road transport vehicles, seven railway vehicles, four fire engines, eight mechanically propelled cars; and motor cycles and 35 bicycles, tricycles, etc. Twelve further horse-drawn road vehicles, 10 railway and tramway vehicles and four motor vehicles were yet to be donated.”

It added: “During the past three years a number of schemes for the provision of a permanent transport museum had been considered, including the acquisition of a site at Balmoral, on which it was proposed to provide a suitable building, railway sidings, &c

“The cost of this proposal proved prohibitive, and attempts had been made more recently to find a building of the warehouse type which, on acquisition, could be more economically adapted to suit the needs of the proposed museum.

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“With the acceptance by the council of a scheme for the recognition of the Museum and Art Gallery as a national institution, which excluded the transport collection, and the requests to the committee by the UTA to vacate the Queen's Quay store, the question of the future of the collection is now an urgent matter.”

Related topics:BelfastCity CouncilQueen