1442

I've read some wibble in my time but good god this ones a humdinger.

The photograph above showing the disabled access is an eye opener and to be brutally honest, the best and only way of giving safe disabled access. For that the museum should be applauded.

There's three in preservation and to be frank getting het up about the loco being separated from its tender is in retrospect mad.

In my younger days I think I criticised the museum for this too, without stopping to think about access. I'm older, wiser, and can see it makes perfect sense. Shame on me for thinking it wrong in the first place.

 

I haven't been to thinktank, I do remember seeing 46235 at the old Museum on Newhall Street though, I remember someone I went to school with once telling me 'that engine they have in the Science Museum dosn't actually move, it's on stilts and it's the track that moves, not the engine' Even at the tender age of 12 I recall my reply as 'row locks have you any idea how heavy that thing is? Anyhow getting back on topic, much as I would like to underline 1442 (and 46235 by the way) in my Platform 5, we are very lucky in our little island we have both an example of a 14xx and and a Big Lizzie in working order, it's not like they're both unique and never to turn a wheel in anger again is it? Last weekend there was a 14xx in action on a former WR Branchline with an auto train, can't get a more authentic envoiroment than that can you. Instead of moaning about loco's that are safely undercover and 'perchance are not dead, but sleepeth' Shouldn't we just be grateful for what we have that's in traffic? Looking at the photos of where 46235 is currently located there appears to be an aircraft of which the city of Birmingham produced more of than the city that claims as it's own (Southampton and the Spitfire) Great as it is to see machinery like that in action, how can you appreciate these machines until you get up close and personal with them? 7325 is separated from its tender in the Engine House and I have not seen any complaints about that yet.

 

With steam locomotives and old aircraft, I am in favour of having both operational examples, and static examples in museums that you can get up close to.

 

...but not so close that you can't see the wood for the trees as they say.

 

Well done for achieving that shot!

The locos absolutely look as though they are considered to be 'in the way', but 'don't worry, we will just hide them behind things and no-one will notice they are there'. That partition blocking the view totally on one side of 2 rare/unique survivors of the Victorian era that show key stages of British/World locomotive development is ridiculous.

I would love a good recreation of a steam days large terminus - something the preserved lines are unlikely to really be able to do, but the opportunities such as Head of Steam and the former Goods Shed at York just get wasted because museum types don't seem to share my enthusiasm for 'recreating the past'!

Steven

(Oh, and part of The Great Hall at York recreated as York MPD would be good too!)

 

You can 'up close' to steam locos actually in steam at preserved railways - but then probably get shouted at for being in someone's photo!

Steven

 

i can get as close up as I wish at Didcot with nothing in the way. I have reservations about the current GWS ethos but noone can deny that their locos are displayed the way they should be.

 

A good while ago now I was invited to a group discussion on what we would like the NRM to do in terms of exhibits and displays. One very popular suggestion was that of the recreation of a small loco shed with three or four locos in there and 'atmosphere' provided by steam, sound and smell generators, a bit dirtied and the odd leaking firehose filling a boiler (well away from Joe Public, though!) A real taster of how it was. That wasn't what they were looking for, though!

 

much more genuine than squeaky clean locos polished to the nth degree.... it was never like that

 

I'd be interesting to know how many of those who complain about CoB's incarceration have actually visited Thinktank. I was in Brum on business recently, went for a gander after my meeting and was rather impressed. If you go after 3pm during the week it's only three quid to get in, too.

Funnily enough I was in Tiverton on business a few months back and did the same for the 14xx. Again I was rather taken with the museum, and enjoyed the sound effects on the footplate of the loco. The whistle chain is hooked up to a recording of whistling which is rather fun!

 

The best atmosphere of any locomotive sheds/storage facilities/museum type places I have been to are Didcot and Marley Hill, without a doubt in my mind. I am yet to visit Barrow Hill but I expect the roundhouse would be similar.

I would love o see a 'proper' recreation of a working shed at the NRM, I think the only way to do this would be if they had a small MPD for their running line where a number of locomotives were either displayed/maintained- Maybe this could form part of the 'industrial railways' story- Would certainly give 'Juno' some context if displayed in a shed surrounded by visiting or working locomotives.

Chris

 

I liked Think tank on my visit, and wished my daughter had been with me then I could have played with a few more exhibits! A lot of the small team stationary steam engines were operating when I went there.

 

I think it's sometimes difficult for us to view things from the view of the average visitor to the museum, who is less likely to be a railway enthusiast and more likely to be there with a family. It is after all not specifically a railway museum at all, or even a transport museum! Rather it's a general museum of the history of mid Devon.

The engine is well looked after, in good condition, undercover, and on display, and has rightly been recognised as part of the area's history. They deserve huge credit for that.

I agree perhaps 1442 could be better displayed but with space constraints it still allows people up close to the engine, and that is the most important thing, particularly for the younger visitors.

There is also a preserved line in the same county less than an hour away with working GWR tanks on service trains. I suspect more than one child has seen 1442 up close and their interest has sparked a visit to the South Devon.

I think I'm also right in saying that 1420 is in the works at the SDR, so in the near future they'll even be able to ride behind a working example of the class just down the road.

The history, legacy and representation of the GWR in Devon could be a lot poorer I am sure, as it is for other railways.

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