If your comment is correct and it is a new rail store being built, it's about time! lol The rails have been sitting in the elements rusting and making some parts of the route a little unsightly. Also, the area at Cabin Crossing needed something doing to it, as last time I was there it looked awful! All in all, I am glad something is being done there, regardless of whether it is a rail store or not :-)
Cabin Crossing & the area around Cliffside is, right now, the least of the museum's concerns - even more insignificant than trolley reversers. Ok, it's not the prettiest of areas on the line, but it's been there for so long now return visitors don't notice it, and I bet most new ones won't either.
What about all of the peeling paintwork on the street furniture at Victoria Park? The railings running down the east side from the bridge? The bridge itself? Do they not look "awful" and "make some parts of the route a little unsightly"? They do in my book.
However, at this stage in time even that is insignificant - everyone seems to be rejoicing that we are get six trams and a trailer from Blackpool (Well, five more and a trailer), but where on earth are they going to live? That seems to have been overlooked by everyone. We need to be spending money on a depot, or if not actively finding homes for our new acquisitions... not whining every 10 seconds because something looks a wee bit off.
I agree with rich about it been about time it was tidy up and I also agree with Jack there is other importent areas that need attation but have you ever thought this work might have been started to tidy the museum up in order for us to put a new depot up some where Am sure as well if you would like street furniture painting the outside works would provide you with a paint brush and paint etc to do the jobs
Indeed Jack, I fully agree about the depot extension being the first priority. In fact, the whole depot situation should be looked at. As I have stated some time ago in The Journal, the present fleet is decaying slowly but steadily in the depots because there is no humidity control. This situation costs deer each year in extra maintenance, paintwork that doesn't last longer than 10-15 years etc. In two months' time LUT 159 will be finished and it will look great. Then it leaves its uterus (the warm Workshop) and will be thrown into the harsh Crich outside world. Guess how it will look in say 5 years from now? To be fair, that look will be very authentic, but trams shouldn't look like that after such a short time. Perhaps this ought to be the next HLF project?
Jack, get your head out of your rear end and remember that other people have different viewpoints and opinions!
Isn't it slightly important to try and preserve the tram rails we have? We only have a limited supply salvaged from the bygone days of tramways, so shouldn't we try and keep them in good condition so that we can replace any unusable rails on the main line with an authentic counterpart? Therefore the store needs building because the rails are rusting away and may soon become useless apart from as scrap metal. As to your comment about paintwork! All I can say is: read Jonathan's comment: go to the Outside Works team and get yourself a paintbrush and some paint! If you have a problem, deal with it yourself. I am sure they would bend over backwards to get you the paint (though not literally, that would be painful... lol).
I get asked often when conducting "What is that over there in the woods?" I get asked this as I am collecting fares on the way up to Wakebridge quite often, and it is because they have looked over where the work is now over to the Woodland Walk. When I am collecting fares I notice where people are looking, and it is about 50/50 Woodland/Quarry. So people DO look over there and therefore notice(d) the not-so-pleasant part of the line, so the work is also a priority in that respect.
Finally, I agree with you about the depot. But, nothing can be done without any ideas on how to do it! If you have a solution, approach a Board member. Actually, if you are there over the Bank holiday, Jack, Colin Heaton (TMS Chairman) is driving both Sunday and Monday, so maybe go to him with your ideas? With regard to Wim's comment, the current depot cetainly needs a bit of work doing to it, including the possibility of humidity control, and what about doors that you don't have to struggle with for ages as you try to close them at the end of a day? As for the next HLF project: good idea, but it would have to wait until the more immediate concerns of the Stone Workshop were sorted out.
The moral of the story is for you, Jack, to remember that other people have and are entitled to their own opinions, so consider that before being rude to them!
Rich, Just a quick comment about rails, you'll find that there is a lot of new rail to 35G and RI60 standard has been used at the museum. This rail is compatable to our wheel profiles and can be bought off the shelf (at a cost). You must remember that the old BS2 section 8 was somewhat worn when we aquired it many years ago and has lasted us 50years. As regards the tidying/painting of the museum, just because somethings been painted once doesn't mean it will last. It's all an on going maintenance (Forth bidge springs to mind) but there seems to be so few people who are keen to do outside work.
Rich, A quick comment on your reply. One of the problems with the poor climate in the depots is caused by the doors not sealing them of properly. A humidity control without sealing doors is useless. Modern folding depot doors like those used in operational tram depots tackle this problem very well. If we start by renovating one depot at a time, in 10 years' time we could have a climatised depot complex at Crich. Regarding tram rails: modern Ri50 or Ri60 rails are now being used in Britain. They are therefore historically correct. In fact these rails have found their way to Crich already. It is good to have a small store of spare rails, but really a lot of the PW store is nothing more than scrap. Not all of it though, because there are some hidden treasures to be found there, such as a Grand Union and some ex London conduit track including a change pit.
OK, so new rail is used at Crich. Isn't therefore even more important to keep the "heritage" rail in good condition do it can be preserved and possibly displayed to the public who (and I do include myself in this!) know very little about the actual rails the trams run on? All I saw to inform visitors about the different rail types (and therefore the development of the tramway rail) was on a board tucked away at the back of Depot roads 4, 5 and 6. So maybe, in the future, the rail store could house a little section on the development of tramway rails? But that is of no immediate consideration, just a (very) long-term idea.
With regard to your reply, Wim, your suggestion seems obvious and should be considered. Even if the only action is to replace the doors on all the depots it would be much better.
Wim There are less treasures than you think. During tidying up at Clay Cross (after the fire if I remember right) the change pit was thrown away as no-one knew what it was!! Hopefully the Grand Union is still around.
It was but im not saying who threw it away as it wasnt his fault no-one told him what it was. And no-one could be bothered to go to Clay cross to sort it out
Safety barriers have been errected at Cabin Crossing and a JCB machine was busily at work on Tuesday morning.
If your comment is correct and it is a new rail store being built, it's about time! lol
ReplyDeleteThe rails have been sitting in the elements rusting and making some parts of the route a little unsightly.
Also, the area at Cabin Crossing needed something doing to it, as last time I was there it looked awful!
All in all, I am glad something is being done there, regardless of whether it is a rail store or not :-)
Oh get over yourself.
ReplyDeleteCabin Crossing & the area around Cliffside is, right now, the least of the museum's concerns - even more insignificant than trolley reversers. Ok, it's not the prettiest of areas on the line, but it's been there for so long now return visitors don't notice it, and I bet most new ones won't either.
What about all of the peeling paintwork on the street furniture at Victoria Park? The railings running down the east side from the bridge? The bridge itself? Do they not look "awful" and "make some parts of the route a little unsightly"? They do in my book.
However, at this stage in time even that is insignificant - everyone seems to be rejoicing that we are get six trams and a trailer from Blackpool (Well, five more and a trailer), but where on earth are they going to live? That seems to have been overlooked by everyone. We need to be spending money on a depot, or if not actively finding homes for our new acquisitions... not whining every 10 seconds because something looks a wee bit off.
Jack
I agree with rich about it been about time it was tidy up and I also agree with Jack there is other importent areas that need attation but have you ever thought this work might have been started to tidy the museum up in order for us to put a new depot up some where
ReplyDeleteAm sure as well if you would like street furniture painting the outside works would provide you with a paint brush and paint etc to do the jobs
Indeed Jack, I fully agree about the depot extension being the first priority. In fact, the whole depot situation should be looked at. As I have stated some time ago in The Journal, the present fleet is decaying slowly but steadily in the depots because there is no humidity control. This situation costs deer each year in extra maintenance, paintwork that doesn't last longer than 10-15 years etc.
ReplyDeleteIn two months' time LUT 159 will be finished and it will look great. Then it leaves its uterus (the warm Workshop) and will be thrown into the harsh Crich outside world. Guess how it will look in say 5 years from now? To be fair, that look will be very authentic, but trams shouldn't look like that after such a short time. Perhaps this ought to be the next HLF project?
Jack, get your head out of your rear end and remember that other people have different viewpoints and opinions!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it slightly important to try and preserve the tram rails we have? We only have a limited supply salvaged from the bygone days of tramways, so shouldn't we try and keep them in good condition so that we can replace any unusable rails on the main line with an authentic counterpart? Therefore the store needs building because the rails are rusting away and may soon become useless apart from as scrap metal.
As to your comment about paintwork! All I can say is: read Jonathan's comment: go to the Outside Works team and get yourself a paintbrush and some paint! If you have a problem, deal with it yourself. I am sure they would bend over backwards to get you the paint (though not literally, that would be painful... lol).
I get asked often when conducting "What is that over there in the woods?" I get asked this as I am collecting fares on the way up to Wakebridge quite often, and it is because they have looked over where the work is now over to the Woodland Walk. When I am collecting fares I notice where people are looking, and it is about 50/50 Woodland/Quarry. So people DO look over there and therefore notice(d) the not-so-pleasant part of the line, so the work is also a priority in that respect.
Finally, I agree with you about the depot. But, nothing can be done without any ideas on how to do it! If you have a solution, approach a Board member. Actually, if you are there over the Bank holiday, Jack, Colin Heaton (TMS Chairman) is driving both Sunday and Monday, so maybe go to him with your ideas?
With regard to Wim's comment, the current depot cetainly needs a bit of work doing to it, including the possibility of humidity control, and what about doors that you don't have to struggle with for ages as you try to close them at the end of a day? As for the next HLF project: good idea, but it would have to wait until the more immediate concerns of the Stone Workshop were sorted out.
The moral of the story is for you, Jack, to remember that other people have and are entitled to their own opinions, so consider that before being rude to them!
Rich,
ReplyDeleteJust a quick comment about rails, you'll find that there is a lot of new rail to 35G and RI60 standard has been used at the museum. This rail is compatable to our wheel profiles and can be bought off the shelf (at a cost). You must remember that the old BS2 section 8 was somewhat worn when we aquired it many years ago and has lasted us 50years. As regards the tidying/painting of the museum, just because somethings been painted once doesn't mean it will last. It's all an on going maintenance (Forth bidge springs to mind) but there seems to be so few people who are keen to do outside work.
Rich,
ReplyDeleteA quick comment on your reply. One of the problems with the poor climate in the depots is caused by the doors not sealing them of properly.
A humidity control without sealing doors is useless. Modern folding depot doors like those used in operational tram depots tackle this problem very well.
If we start by renovating one depot at a time, in 10 years' time we could have a climatised depot complex at Crich.
Regarding tram rails: modern Ri50 or Ri60 rails are now being used in Britain. They are therefore historically correct. In fact these rails have found their way to Crich already.
It is good to have a small store of spare rails, but really a lot of the PW store is nothing more than scrap.
Not all of it though, because there are some hidden treasures to be found there, such as a Grand Union and some ex London conduit track including a change pit.
OK, so new rail is used at Crich. Isn't therefore even more important to keep the "heritage" rail in good condition do it can be preserved and possibly displayed to the public who (and I do include myself in this!) know very little about the actual rails the trams run on? All I saw to inform visitors about the different rail types (and therefore the development of the tramway rail) was on a board tucked away at the back of Depot roads 4, 5 and 6. So maybe, in the future, the rail store could house a little section on the development of tramway rails?
ReplyDeleteBut that is of no immediate consideration, just a (very) long-term idea.
With regard to your reply, Wim, your suggestion seems obvious and should be considered. Even if the only action is to replace the doors on all the depots it would be much better.
Wim
ReplyDeleteThere are less treasures than you think. During tidying up at Clay Cross (after the fire if I remember right) the change pit was thrown away as no-one knew what it was!! Hopefully the Grand Union is still around.
It was but im not saying who threw it away as it wasnt his fault no-one told him what it was. And no-one could be bothered to go to Clay cross to sort it out
ReplyDelete