Great Western Coffee Shop

A very welcome piece of news. Paul Corin is opening the museum Sundays to Thursdays for the summer 11 am to 4pm. Pride of place goes to the ex-Regent Brighton Wurlitzer among a veritable cornucopia of automatic and self playing keyboard instruments. As seen on Paul Mertons secret stations recently.

Excellent news. I just loved sitting there and listening to it all... ;)

I can offer you a taster, from youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59xvpAUvzL0).  ;) :D ;D

Prompted by this thread, I paid a visit to St Keynes yesterday and went to the museum.

To be fair the ex-Brighton Wurlitzer is the only working exhibit, although there were a number of other keyboard instruments Mr Corin is in the process of repairing for their owners.

However I was treated to 45 minutes of his time where he explained the history of the machines and, on learning I was from Swindon, was even able to tell me the history of one that had been in the town without recourse to any notes.

He then demonstrated the various notes, and sounds, that can be obtained from the Wurlitzer - all linked from the keyboard via a 500-core cable (try looking for a broken wire in that lot!)

He then played for about 10 minutes while I just sat and absorbed the atmosphere while overlooking the station next door.

(http://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/wurl1.jpg)
(http://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/wurl2.jpg)
(http://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/wurl3.jpg)

After leaving a donation I went down to the platform to await my train while Mr Corin started playing again.  Amazing, the middle of the countryside waiting for a train with strains of Irving Berlin wafting through the air.

I never visited the original museum so I cannot compare it, but I suspect it was on a larger scale.  One of his long term plans is to turn the place into a wedding venue where the Wurlitzer will no doubt play a central part.