Science Museum Moves in 1926

I've just been watching John Huntly's "Classic Railway Newsreels - Volume 1". one of the first items shows Rockect and Agenoria being moved through the streets, presumably of Kensington, in 1926? Sans Pareil was also mentioned but not shown.

Can anyone tell me where these locos were being moved from and to?

 

What was to become the Science Museum collection had been part of the Victoria and Albert Museum until it was agreed to separate the collections in 1909. Building of the new museum commenced in 1914 but the Great War and it's aftermath meant progress was slow and it was 1928 before the official opening by King George V and Queen Mary. Presumably the film shows the locomotives being moved as part of this.

https://www.huntleyarchives.com/preview.asp?image=1011570&itemw=4&itemf=0004&itemstep=1&itemx=5

 

I happened to find this video the other day which shows how some of the National collection looked in 1963.

 

Of course that was filmed in Clapham Transport Museum (a former bus garage) not the Science Museum - nice to see it though.
Ray.

 

That's interesting, thank you. I didn't know that.

 

Were these locos actually on display at the V&A museum? I've seen some notes somewhere that early locos were stored at the Patents Office.

 

There is first class book by Michael R. Bailey called 'Loco Motion' published by the History Press in 2014 and is well worth obtaining for anyone interested in the early days of steam. In it he examines surviving locomotives and operable relics not only from this country but also some from overseas for pre 1850 designs.

He does give a ownership and display history for all three of the locomotives referred to above and the display history is shown as:

'The Agenoria'

1884-86 Patent Office Museum
1886-1936 London Science Museum
1936-41 York Railway Museum (on loan)
1941-47 Reedsmouth ( in store- war safety measures )
1947-74 York Railway Museum ( on loan )
1975- National Railway Museum, York


'Rocket'

1862-76 Patent Office Museum
1876-84 South Kensington Museum ( on loan )
1884-1909 South Kensington Museum
1909- Science Museum, London

'Sans Pareil'

1864-1999 London Science Museum
[shown as owned by the Patent Office museum 1864-84]
1999-2004 National Railway Museum, York
2004- Locomotive Museum, Shildon

He does show when locos were in store so it looks as though they were on display as far as can be told after this length of time. Use of names for the museums does seem to vary but this link gives a good history of the Science Museum:

https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2017-10/science-museum-history.pdf

 

This link from the Science Museum's own online picture library shows a page from 'The Graphic' for 1880 with Rocket on display at 'The Patent Museum' which does seem to contradict the above information.


https://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk...421141&itemw=4&itemf=0004&itemstep=1&itemx=55

 

There are photographs from around 1880 which suggests how they appeared on display ( they will enlarge and there is a second page to click through to ):

https://www.abebooks.com/Agenoria-1829-Pareil-Rocket-Puffing-Billy/22770780401/bd#&gid=1&pid=1