Colonel Stephens Museum, Tenterden

We visited the Colonel Stephens Railway Museum at Tenterden, on the Kent & East Sussex Railway. Not just because I’m interested in That Sort Of Thing, but because as a curator of the Miniature Railway Museum Trust, I’m keen to see how other people have gone about interpreting and displaying their collections.

And, it's the sort of place that might get missed - so here's a bit of a recommendation to visit.

Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/timmydunn/sets/72157625281475283/

If you are passing, I can highly recommend a visit; it’s full of interesting artifacts and so many railways (Ffestiniog and WHR included) are covered as part of Holman F Stephens’ empire. There are dozens of models and stories – a really engaging experience. The largest exhibit is Gazelle – the ex-Shropshire and Montgomery (and ex-MoD) 0-4-2 loco, that once had its own private saloon.

Clearly the work of a dedicated team, it has evolved over a period of time and the display techniques are spot-on and contemporary in some parts (panels suspended on wires to make displays more 3D, etc, good spotlighting that isn't apparent in my pics, illuminated firebox for Gazelle, "spot the item" thing for kids, activity sheets, detailed stories of each line, the story of the man, etc etc). They have mainly small exhibits and photos rather than large lumps of metal needing restoration. There are themed areas too, such as a part-mock station and goods dock - and HF Stephens' recreated office. A visitor book is laid on and educational trips are catered for, along with a small library for research.

They have an area on the website and in the museum asking for people to help identify objects and photos, much as the V&A has done with some of its collection recently.

http://www.hfstephens-museum.org.uk/

If your railway or preservation has a museum display area, there are some great things to be learned from this little museum; I took away a great deal of inspiration.

 

Went round the Col Stephens museum for the first time last year. Very well presented, and excellent use of limited space.