Mining Drill
A twist drill, about 5 feet long, used to drill holes for explosives in mining.
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Motherwell Bridge Commemorative Case
This little tin case was made for the Motherwell Bridge & Engineering Co. Ltd., to celebrate the rebuilding of the Boyne viaduct in Drogheda in 1932. It may have been for calling cards or business cards, the wear pattern on the inside is possibly caused by a coin.
British Polar Engines Plate
A maker’s plate from British Polar Engines Ltd., dating from 1973.
“Speirsesque” Enamel Sign
An enamel sign by Speirs Ltd., Glasgow – Spiers made prefabricated buildings before WWII.
Dounreay Reactor Lighter
In 1956, the Motherwell Bridge & Engineering Company built the containment sphere for the experimental Dounreay fast reactor, and to celebrate they had a few model spheres made, with a lighter inside!
Nobel’s Explosives Safety Sign
A battered and faded safety sign from the Nobel’s Explosives factory at Ardeer, Ayrshire.
Merklands Wharf Pay Token
A pay token from Merklands Wharf, Glasgow – the wharf and lairage on the Clyde handled fruit and cattle among other goods.
Bristol Green Wine Glass
A beautiful Georgian Bristol Green wine glass, a generous donation to the museum. Bristol Green was a unique colour of glass, derived from the iron oxide in local sand and a little cobalt, to give an amazing sea green.
Rolls Royce Factory Boxes
Two cute little wooden boxes from the Rolls-Royce aircraft engine factory at Hillington.
1865 Transatlantic Telegraph Cable
A section of the 1865 transatlantic telegraph cable, laid by Brunel’s Great Britain steamship – the cable snapped in mid-Atlantic, but the end was recovered and spliced into a new cable in 1866.
‘Reptiles’ by Jim Collins Painting
‘Reptiles’ by Jim Collins is a 1989 painting of the stockyard crane and platers’ shed at Govan shipyard, Glasgow.