Electric Refuse Lorry

I think we should have some more of these.  This was built in 1938 and was in service in Birmingham until 1972.  It was very economical to run and maintain as the batteries were recharged with electricity generated from steam produced by burning the refuse which they collected.

We saw this at the Birmingham Museums Collection Storage Facility when we visited this afternoon.  It is only open once a month on a Friday afternoon and you have to book.  We are so glad we did although we arrived late travelling from Bewdley through the madness of traffic caused by all the flooding.

It was a fascinating place to visit including lots of items to do with the social history of the City and its surroundings.