Heath Robinson museum

[ppppenguin]

We went to the Heath Robinson museum yesterday. This lovely little museum dedicated to the genius of the man is tucked away in the outer London suburb of Pinner. https://www.heathrobinsonmuseum.org/

The core of the museum is a rotating selection of Heath Robinson's drawings, both the well  known ludicrous machines and also his serious illustration. There are also a number of actual machines, inspired by his work. The photos show a mad machine, which is also inspired by the Heath Robinson machines used at Bletchley Park. They were the predecessors of the famous Colossus computer.

This machine had working nixies and dekatron. I don't think the valves were doing anything except look pretty. I think they were EF91 and EB91so nothing precious. It set a series of simple arithmetic questions on a display and if you answered them correctly the machine would do various things.

This museum is well worth a visit if you're in the area. if, like us, you are Art Fund members, you get free admission.

[peter scott]

Love it! The creations of Heath Robinson and Rowland Emett always delighted me and discovering in more recent times such sources as Paff, the blue machine, and various other crazy machines are the real spice of life.

Peter

[ppppenguin]

I was only vaguely aware of Rowland Emett by name though I've seen and loved his work. The wikipedia entry says he was born just a few miles from where I live.

I don't think Paff's drawings have ever been collected in one place.

Left Pondian folk have Rube Goldberg as their nearest equivalent to Heath Robinson.

[peter scott]

My father introduced me to Emett at the Royal Highland Show in the 1950s with "The Featherbed Farmer".

   

Peter

[BusyBee]

I always find these type of things interesting. Thank you for the update.

Tracy

[ppppenguin]

I don't think Paff's drawings have ever been collected in one place.

I've just rediscovered a copy of "Let's hear it for the backroom boys". A 48 page A5 booklet containing the "Collected works of Wilfred Pafford, better know to his friends as Paff". Edited and arranged by Andrew Emmerson and then issued for private circulation, 1998.

I'll try to contact Andy Emmerson to see if he can make it more widely available in electronic form.

[peter scott]

Let's not forget Tim Hunkin: https://timhunkin.com/index.htm

[PerdioPal]

I went to the Heath Robinson museum years ago, before the new "3D" exhibits. Must go again. Also thumbs up to Tim Hunkin, he has upscaled and made better (visually) his 1980/90 shows, available on youtube. I think those shows should be part of the national curriculum for two reasons, you need more than a 10 second attention span and learn that engineering is fun!

[roadster]

Thanks for the reminder about Tim Hunkin. I used to enjoy his "Rudiments of wisdom" cartoons in the Observer.
I do fancy a visit to the Heath Robinson museum, but the only times that I venture inside the M25, nowadays, are when travellingto/from Heathrow!
Rod

[Richard_FM]

I went to the Heath Robinson museum years ago, before the new "3D" exhibits.  Must go again.  Also thumbs up to Tim Hunkin, he has upscaled and made better (visually) his 1980/90 shows, available on youtube.  I think those shows should be part of the national curriculum for two reasons, you need more than a 10 second attention span and learn that engineering is fun!

I also like Tim Hunkin's website & The Secret Life series.  I can remember watching the car one at school once, it was a little boring for some pupils until the late Rex Garrod demonstrated a stunt car.