NRM York Regeneration

I wasn't aware of the proposals to close the engineering facility but will be putting forward a strongly worded view to the National Railway Museum if it is true.

Even if the engineering side of the operations is to be pared back, that area is one of the few places in the country where visitors can see items from the NRM's collection being worked on. It allows items to be under cover and provides a safe location for custodians to carry out work.

Any conversion will be to the future detriment of the museum, in my opinion.

I will of course be having a look round to see what information on this proposal is available online before putting forward my views.

If anyone has a link or a source where I can read the proposals more in depth it would be most helpful to share if possible.

 

Whilst its nice to see, you actually cannot see much in detail so is it actually worth it. To have an engineering facility you need to have (and pay for) trained staff to use it, it has been clear for donkeys years that the NRM don't have these and its well outside of the museums core operation to have them when you can just pay skilled third party contractors to do the work, the NRM don't restore things and whatever in the collection that is running is now third party managed. The only use recently has been 60103 (which went well didn't it) and 60007 which I assume has shown that its not financially worth keeping the place up together, insured and maintained for third party use.

Yeah 'cos we don't want kids having a good time and possibly getting interested in trains now do we

 

You make a fair counterpoint. However I would say that it has not been utilised as best it can be. The viewing gallery is still useful, and I would say with a careful safe system of work and a walking route put out, tours of the facility when work is on-going should be possible.

The bigger picture is that it provides an undercover facility for maintenance of the exhibits should the need arise. Having it and not needing it, as opposed needing it and not having it, my point here.

There is plenty of space around the museum for such an area including adjacent to the Great Hall outside. I agree that we should encourage visitors particularly children but I also feel there are better ways of doing this.

 

I have two young kids myself, but if you want to take them to a place with climbing frames, slides and kiddy stuff there are plenty of places for that. That is not what the NRM is for, They are a railway museum not a children's entertainment center.

You can see here https://www.yorkmix.com/news/revealed-50-million-masterplan-national-railway-museum/

(see the part about the wonder lab)

"A new area called the Wonderlab will be created next to the Great Hall in what is now the workshop and warehouse. The idea is it will inspire a new generation to learn more about engineering.

There will be more than 40 interactive displays and a ‘tinkering space’."

So we will inspire the next generation to learn about Engineering, by closing down the Engineering !!!!! Just nuts.

 

Museums have to adapt or die these days...

 

I have read that and looked at the pictures. I may have been a bit quick to judge. It looks interesting. Perhaps it's better at this stage to get more information - like how much modifications are to be made and whether or not there will still be the possibility of a locomotive on display in the area concerned.

 

I'm sure when the time comes, after you have got more information, the NRM will be pleased to receive your suggestions.

 

You know me, I like to throw out my views...jumping in with the size 9s!

 

I have read what you have linked, you will have to point me to the bit where it mentions 'climbing frames, slides and kiddy stuff', lets just stick to facts available at the moment shall we?

 

Move may be but only with care and never ignoring the educational aspect of their remit

 

A bit controversial but closing the engineering facility may be the best thing to happen after the complete dogs breakfast they made of 60103. Any work could then be contracted out to those who know what they are doing rather than wasting millions. The NRM is basically run by civil servants and museum and conservation professionals and they don't mix very well with those who are entrusted to do the practical work. Just for the record my criticism of the management at York does not include Anthony Coulls who is from the old order of John Belwood, John Scholes nad David Jenkinson.

 

One thing this sentence says too is that the warehouse part where they have lots of small exhibits like model engines, signs, and lots of other railway related equipment a lot of which is presented in a somewhat haphazard way (but at least you can see it), looks also set to go, so what will happen to all that. ? Will it just be shunted into some storage area out of sight, who knows ? I think the best thing for the museum would be for it to split off entirely from the Science Museum and become separate.

 

Hence why the Watford Gap (M1 services) are so called; it's the point at which the real world of the North meets the self-centred world of of the South thus creating the social divide that neither side either appreciates or understands.

 

Depends on how its done, for instance, what do most kids love to do if they get the chance, to visit the footplate, experience the heat, the smell and sounds of a live engine ,some like to see how it works, now you have 35029, which does go so far , in explaining it but its dead, its not alive, what I would love the NRM to do is to keep its workshop and use it to show some aspects of how things are looked after, to make more use of its demonstration line to , have operational days when the workshop is opened and there is an engine in steam (probably a 3rd party engine ) if an engine is being prepped for a rail tour and a small engine giving trips, shunting etc so the visitors can see and watch what has to be done before an engine goes out, in the workshop , if a vehicle is undergoing restoration, that in its self can be interesting, same as conversation work, varnishing, having an " tiny tots" area I think might be a waste of time, unless its peppa pig, or Thomas related I can't see them being that interested as their attention span is going to be short, older kids though will want to ask what does this do, that do, its a pity H&S don't allow footplate trips now, as that would certainly get kids interest .

 

35029 used to be alive, until its rollers broke and someone decided not to get them repaired

 

Wonderlab is named by 46% of visitors as their favourite thing in the Science museum, its becoming in effect the lead exhibit, feedback from teachers highlighted its importance to educative visits, hence the continuing roll out across the Group, clearly far more beneficial to general visits than peering into a normally static engineering workshop.

 

gibberish

 

They didn't make a dogs breakfast of 60103, the loco is in fine fettle and is now in perfect working order. Contracting out in any shape or form is never a good idea. Who can decide if the contractors have a better idea of what they are doing if you get rid of all the engineering expertise and historical knowledge from the NRM? NRM exhibits have always been better turned out than what you see on heritage railways because most preserved railways have absolutely no idea about correct liveries and other fine details.

 

Wasn't 60103 sorted out by Rileys a long time after it left the NRM...?

 

Bob Meanley's report here:

https://group.sciencemuseum.org.uk/...17/06/flying_scotsman_report_october_2012.pdf