Operating Collection

Listowel Monorail
The Lartigue monorail linking Listowel and Ballybunion is the worlds first commercially viable monorail, operating till 1924. It will be partly reconstructed in 2003

A British Army Foden 6x6 heavy recovery vehicle

Halsted, Cushing and Young operating C014 / 1090
Halsted, Cushing and Young operating. Pioneering American surgeons William Halsted (1852-1922), Harvey Cushing (1869-1939) and Hugh Hampton Young (1897-1941)

RAF Poster, Back Them Up! WW2
RAF Poster, Back Them Up!, showing Hurricanes of the RAF cooperating with the Russian Air Force during the Second World War. 1940s

Trepanation, 14th century artwork
Trepanation. 14th century artwork of a doctor using a hammer and scalpel to perform a surgical operation known as trepanation

Calots spinal surgery, 19th century
Calots spinal surgery, 19th-century artwork. This operation is being carried out by the French surgeon Jean-Francois Calot (1861-1944) on a condition known as Potts disease

Cotton weavers at their looms, Preston, Lancashire
Women operating cotton weaving looms at the works of Messrs Horrockses, Crewdson and Co Ltd of Preston, Lancashire

Cotton weaving shed, Preston, Lancashire
A huge cotton weaving shed at the works of Messrs Horrockses, Crewdson and Co Ltd of Preston, Lancashire, with people at work

Horse-Drawn Bus London
A Horse-drawn bus operating the Waterloo Station to Somerset house route

Juicing carrots. The electrical juicer is pulping raw carrots to make a healthy vegetable drink. Carrots are rich in vitamin A (retinol) and also contain some fibre

Fingerprint scanner. Persons finger being scanned by a fingerprint scanner. This scanner is being used to open a door. The ridges on peoples fingers form a unique identifying pattern

Operating Table 1930S
A group of student nurses in theatre, observing a surgeon performing an operation

Barber-surgeons, satirical artwork
Barber-surgeons. Satirical artwork depicting barber-surgeons and their patients as monkeys. At bottom, the barber role is being performed, while at top the surgical and medical roles are shown

Boeing Stratocruiser G-AKGK BOAC, London Airport
The instantly recognisable fuselage shape of the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser. Canopus was one of the more famous BOAC Stratocruisers operating on the between 1950 and 1959

Scammell pump in Orange Street, London W1, WW2
Scammell 65-gallon pump in operation, supplying water to four hosepipes, at a fire in Orange Street, London W1, 21 September 1942

N. of Ireland Flax Spinning Industry, Reeling - a view of a girl operating a reeling machine in a spinning mill. (Location: Ireland). Date: circa early 1900s

Doctor operating on a patient in the operating room in Brooklyn Navy Yard Hospital, New York City, USA Date: 1901

The 15, 000th Curtiss fighter, a P-40 Warhawk, emblazoned with the insignia of the 28 air forces operating Curtiss fighters during WW2. November 1944

Laser eye surgery, artwork
Laser eye surgery. Artwork showing how laser eye surgery is performed. An incision is made into the cornea (light blue), the clear dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye

Dead Mans Handle
A dead mans handle is a switch that is automatically operated in case the human operator becomes incapacitated. Photograph by Heinz Zinram

Lookout man operating signalling lamp, Croydon Airport
Lookout man operating signalling lamp from the Control Tower, Croydon Airport Date: 1930s

Large operating room, Dental School, Paris, France 1885
Large operating room at the Dental School, Odontotechnical Institute, Paris, France. Date: 1885

Vignette illustration, Railway Ribaldry by W Heath Robinson -- An early and interesting type of signal. Date: 1935

Gloster AS31, G-aDO, of the Aircraft Operating Company

Eye surgery, conceptual artwork
Eye surgery. Conceptual artwork of a human eye with a windscreen wiper being used to produce clear vision. This represents the correction of conditions such as a cataract (cloudiness of the eyes lens)

Cartoon - WWI - Haircut
A cartoon making light of the perils of life on the front line and the frequent need for surgical intervention to operate on soldiers

Oil refinery worker
MODEL RELEASED. Oil refinery worker checking the feed pre-heater in the hydrofining area of an oil refinery. The hydrofining area is where crude oil products are processed to remove impurities such

An operation screened live in a medical lecture
An invention by Mr Herbert A. Silver enabling medical students to watch surgery from the lecture theatre. A circle of electric lamps is suspended over the operating table while the image is projected

Drone flying over sea coast and palm trees. Tropical footage or photo creating. UAV professional drone in exotic island view

HMS Encounter, 2nd class protected cruiser, Challenger class
Royal Navy - HMS Encounter, a 2nd-class protected cruiser of the Challenger class, operated by the Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN), as HMAS Encounter

HMS Glorious, aircraft carrier
Royal Navy - HMS Glorious, aircraft carrier, at anchor, steaming up. HMS Glorious was the second of the three Courageous-class battlecruisers built for the Royal Navy during the First World War

Eric Ravilious
11th anniversary poster for the Golden Cockerel Press, an Englishfine pressoperating between 1920 and 1961. The private press made handmade limited editions of classic works

Mrs Olive Pearson operating a machine in the "enrobement"
Mrs Olive Pearson operating a machine in the " enrobement" department at Hull sweet-makers, Needlers Ltd. Her job is to make sure the centres are properly coated with chocolate before going

Stroukoff YC-123E Provider 55-4031
Stroukoff YC-123E-SA Provider 55-4031, modified by Stroukoff Aircraft Corp, Trenton NJ. With Pantobase undercarriage and wing-tip floats for operating off water, snow, ice, and sand, as well as land

Short S. 38 - SA. 1 Sturgeon S. 1 RK797
Short S.38/SA.1 Sturgeon S.1 RK797, the first prototype of a new carrier-borne strike and reconnaissance aircraft for the Royal Navy

St Bartholomews Hospital, London - An operating Theatre
St Bartholomews Hospital, Farringdon, City of London - An operating Theatre. Date: circa 1907

Prince of Wales paddle steamer operating between Southampton and the Isle of Wight - early 1900s

HMS Glorious 77
Royal Navy - HMS Glorius, aircraft carrier, at anchor in Grand Harbour Valetta.. HMS Glorious was the second of the three Courageous-class battlecruisers built for the Royal Navy during the First

CASA 235-100MPA Persuader 253
Irish Air Corps - CASA 235-100MPA Persuader 253 (msn C094), of 101 Squadron No. 1 Operating Wing. Date: circa 1995

Britten-Norman BN. 2A-2 Islander G-AZEH
Britten-Norman BN.2A-2 Islander G-AZEH (msn 289), on pre-delivery flight tests / publicity shoot near Bembridge, before delivery to Fairoaks Aviation, operating for Volkswagen. Date: 1971

HMS Courageous 50
Royal Navy - HMS Courageous 50, an aircraft carrier, seen in July 1936, (formerly a battle-cruiser). HMS Courageous was the lead ship of her class of three battlecruisers built for the Royal Navy

Private Electric Motor Car on tracks - Panama Canal
Private Electric Motor Car operating on lines of track and used by Heads of the Engineering Divisions/Departments working on the Panama Canal. Date: 1913

The Ack-Ack Song
An illustrated WW2 music sheet cover for The Ack-Ack Song, the anthem of Britain's anti-aircraft defender, by Jimmy Kennedy. The image shows an A.A

WW2 - Portable Wireless Outstation
A photograph which shows some British WW2 Royal Air Force personnel operating a portable wireless outstation. Date: circa 1940s

HMS Courageous
Royal Navy - HMS Courageous (pennant number 50'), in August 1938. HMS Courageous was the lead ship of her class of three battlecruisers built for the Royal Navy during the First World War

WW2 R. A. F. Mobile Radio Station
This illustration shows some British Royal Air Force ground staff members operating at a mobile radio station. Date: 1941

WW2, Tank Driving Cow
A WW2 childrens book illustration from The Blue-Eyed Cat. The image shows Daisy the cow operating a tank across the countryside. Date: circa 1945

Lieutenant-General Sir R L McCreery, 8th Army, WW2
Lieutenant-General Sir R L McCreery commanding the British Eighth Army operating in Italy during the Second World War Date: 1940s

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From ancient trepanation to modern fingerprint scanners, the art has evolved throughout history. 🏥✨ In the 14th century, intricate artwork depicted trepanation, a surgical procedure believed to relieve pressure on the brain. Meanwhile, in Preston, Lancashire, cotton weavers skillfully operated their looms in bustling weaving sheds. Fast forward to the 19th century when Calots spinal surgery was introduced as a groundbreaking technique for treating spinal disorders. The operating table of the 1930s became a symbol of medical progress and precision. Transportation also witnessed advancements with innovations like Listowel Monorail and Horse-Drawn Buses in London. These modes of transport were meticulously operated to ensure safe journeys for passengers. The realm of military operations saw Halsted, Cushing and Young expertly maneuvering Foden heavy recovery vehicles during critical missions. Their skills were crucial in providing assistance on challenging terrains. Beyond machinery and medicine lies another aspect - juicing carrots. This simple act showcases how even everyday tasks require careful operation to extract maximum nutrition from nature's bounty. Not all operations are physical; some involve personal choices too. Cora Pearl, a renowned courtesan known for her charm and allure, skillfully operated within high society circles captivating hearts along the way. Lastly, technology revolutionized security with fingerprint scanners that operate flawlessly identifying individuals with just a touch. Whether it's saving lives or enhancing daily routines – operating is an art that continues to shape our world.