NRM to close?

[liverpoollou]

The NRM is one of three museums under threat of closure in the North of England due to funding cuts. I don't know much about the other 2 but I do know that the NRM has spent an extraordinary amount of money purchasing and rebuilding just one locomotive, that being 4472 Flying Scotsman, somewhere around £4 million.... yes FOUR MILLION ENGLISH POUNDS and god only knows how much on repatriating 2 A4's (on loan) and tarting them up so all surviving 6 can be lined up side by side, just two examples.

If you buy a used car there are various ways of checking it over and in all probability you'd buy on a 'sold as seen' basis, this is what the NRM effectively did with 4472 but now it seems they got it wrong and are trying to blame the previous owners for 'not being straight' regarding it's condition, sorry, you bought it as 'sold as seen' after having it checked over by your 'experts' and are now trying to wriggle out of the sheer incompetence shown during the rebuild, admit it, YOU GOT IT WRONG!

Is it any wonder then that the NRM has an axe hanging over it's head?

 

[cstock]

I get the impression that the NRM don't really care about certain era's and exhibits, as long as the kettles are alright. That class 487 that's thankfully now at Acton was just left to rot there for ages.

[class345]

+1 to the above post.

[class345]

Although Acton have been just as bad at leaving stuff to rot, one example being the standard stock.

[cstock]

Good point actually, scandalous considering there was such a good opportunity with the standards and it was ruined. And I'm not against steam engines at all, I appreciate them even if they don't interest me so much, but I do believe that other forms of traction are ignored which is slightly unfair. I also have to say the NRM is a good museum to visit if you've never been and would thouroughly reccomend it.

[GentlemanJim]

Jun 17, 2013 17:45:12 GMT cstock said:

Good point actually, scandalous considering there was such a good opportunity with the standards and it was ruined. And I'm not against steam engines at all, I appreciate them even if they don't interest me so much, but I do believe that other forms of traction are ignored which is slightly unfair. I also have to say the NRM is a good museum to visit if you've never been and would thouroughly reccomend it.

I too have been to the NRM (recently) and it's full of kettles and very little of any other stock. Considering that the UK pioneered railways the range of rolling stock, signalling etc. is quite abysmal although what they do have on show is well worth a look.

One would have thought the NRM would have created a working box(es) with simulators or even a model railway and saved more of our pioneering Diesel and Electric stock however, I believe that part of the railway and diesel/electric stock isn't 'romantic' enough for the NRM, I think they're wrong.

I'm personally into electric stock (LU) and signalling,

With regards to Acton, they've missed the boat on several occasions, Standard Stock, 59/62TS, 83TS, etc. and they only just managed to save one of the Central Line prototypes. The Standard Stock retrieved from the IoW was meant to be preserved and put back to working order, another shameful missed opportunity and the only reason L11 was saved is because Cravens Heritage Trains Stepped in, LTM weren't going to save one of the Cravens 60TS sets so a pat on the back to CHT. LTM have Loughton Cabin as a preserved example of LT signalling but how often is it open and what does it really show, nothing but a cold lever frame. CHT have Epping and although the Frame was removed they got off there butts and dismantled the 83 lever frame at Hainault and transported it to Epping where it's stored in the relay room waiting for the day that enough people with the enthusiasm come along to rebuild it in Epping Cabin as a replica to the one removed.

[Sy Mantrum]

Jun 17, 2013 19:21:03 GMT GentlemanJim said:

I'm personally into electric stock (LU) and signalling

Although it's veering off-topic, it is worth commenting that Acton did make an effort to acquire some of the Victoria Line equipment before the changeover. I'm not sure exactly what they got, but Acton are trying to make amends. It will be interesting to see what of the converted power frames from the top end of the Northern become preserved. 

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