Two statues have been removed from Chamberlain Square ahead of the demolition of Central Library and the start of
Last night, a team lifted the statues of James Watt and Joseph Priestley from their plinths and transported them for storage in Birmingham Museums Trust's Collection Centre.
The Thomas Attwood statue and the plinths will also be removed and stored shortly.
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They will be returned in due course for the £500 million project which will see the demolition of the former library and Paradise Forum shopping centre and the
The marble James Watt statue, originally located in Paradise Street next to Birmingham Town Hall, is dedicated to the Scottish-born engineer who moved to Birmingham in 1774 and worked with Matthew Boulton to create the steam engine which powered the industrial revolution.
Clergyman, Scientist and member of the Lunar Society, Joseph Priestley lived in the city between 1770 and 1791 and is credited for discovering oxygen.
His statue was originally located in Victoria Square, then called Council House Square, but was later moved to Chamberlain Square and recast in bronze due to irreparable weather erosion to the original marble.
Birmingham's first MP Thomas Attwood is commemorated in the final bronze statue which was commissioned and donated to the city by of his great, great, granddaughter.
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The statue of a seated Thomas Attwood, with his soapbox and scattered pages, was created by Sioban Coppinger and Fiona Peever in 1993 and is said to reflect the values Mr Attwood promoted - reform, vote and prosperity.
Rob Groves, senior projects director with Argent which is managing the delivery of the Paradise scheme, said: "These statues commemorate some of the city's great forefathers and we will ensure they are fully protected as part of the extensive refurbishment of Chamberlain Square.
"They have been moved into storage for the duration of development and will be restored and re-sited at the appropriate time as part of Grant Associates Landscape Architects plans."
Speaking on behalf of Birmingham Museums Trust, Deborah Cane added: "We are very pleased to be able to assist in the storage and renovation of these splendid statues.
"It will be good to see them standing in their magnificent, newly enhanced setting after they are returned."