LT Museum Acton Depot to be relocated?

https://bidstats.uk/tenders/2021/W49/764543156
Concerning about what will happen to the LTM Acton Depot, as the depot site is now up for damn housing redevelopment... (doesn't London have enough?) It does say in these proposals the developers need to find the collection a new home for this to go ahead but I hope with TfLs financial issues currently they don't end up downscaling.

I'm not sure exactly how TfL are structured and how much of the heritage side is subsidised but i can easily be it viewed as "unnessacary" by many higher ups. There are a lot of unique items here, and bottom line is, I just hope everything in the collection stays preserved.

Would be interested to hear other's views on this.

 

The Acton depot simply isn't big enough and so if anything it's an opportunity, but they've been looking at this for years now - the problem was and presumably remains finding a suitable alternative site?

 

If they can find a suitable larger site then obviously that would be the best thing, ultimately the collection is the thing that needs to be safeguarded. I can just forsee a conversation going - "There's this site, and you wont be able to fit the whole stock there, but its the best we can do" and then your left with what stock misses out.

Dont get me wrong, I truly hope that doesnt happen, but from experience I've seen this happen before, hence the concern. You'll also be suprised what deals can happen in circumstances like these. this can be seen as TfL trying any way to claw back its losses after the financial hit, selling off land to commercial development. I can completley understand and see why they are doing it, just the circumstances do worry me. If they said "we already have an alternative site which can house the entire collection" - Things would feel a lot more secure.

 

Lack of space has been heavily compromising the collection already so the status quo isn't necessarily better, all we can do is judge any suggestion on its merits - the LTM does have powerful support, and a sympathetic commissioner in Andy "Train Daddy" Byford, so I can't see them being forced into something unacceptable.

 

Interesting Andy Byford's grandfather was a LT bus driver for 50 years!

Wonder if they will have to move out of London to find a suitable large empty warehouse, ideally near a rail track to take trains out occasionally?