At Locomotion Shildon's Autumn Gala Today

Steve Davies on the NRM Locomotion PA at Shildon's gala this AM: the two Gresley A4s leave Halifax on the 25th September, that's this Tuesday, for the UK. He was being very affable, scheduled to drive SLS Orion and cleaning the gents for the benefit of myself and others. The gala was very busy, six engines in steam, traders I spoke to happy. Outside stars included the two Y7s together (again) and in steam. Beamish's restored Lewin. North Staffs 0-6-02T. Everything looked good.

A4 locos arrived in the UK from Canada on 3rd October see http://www.heritagerailway.co.uk/gallery/a4s-have-arrived .

 

New National Railway Museum head Paul Kirkman biography

New NRM head biography: Paul Kirkman studied Philosophy at Edinburgh University before joining HMG. In between three spells at the Treasury he was Private Secretary to the Director General of the Confederation of British Industry, studied for an MA in Art History at Goldsmiths College and was Head of Policy & Planning at the Natural History Museum. Paul joined the Department for Culture Media and Sport in September 2005 as Head of Museums & Libraries. He was a Clore Fellow in 2009 and led the DCMS’s work on the 2010 Spending Review. He is now Head of Arts and Creative Industries at DCMS.

Paul’s secondment will be for a period of one year. DCMS staff regularly undertake relevant secondments as the department believes secondments play an important role in enabling individuals and the host organization to benefit from new skills, knowledge and capabilities. (from NRM press release).

Steve Davies leaves the National Railway Museum

National Railway Museum head Steve Davies is to leave it has been announced today, with just  two and a half years in post.  A series of well flagged issues surrounding the 2012 Railfest and the restoration of Flying Scotsman are associated. A lot more needs to be said but that will be on reflection and when some substantive information from the museum is available. Meanwhile as of today two A4s are on the quayside at Halifax Canada and one must ask what will happen to them?

Press release here #1692 .

By the end of the day Museums Journal had a feature ready with some useful insight. Heritage Railway report. For an insight into what this is all about Steam Railway 405 and 406 should be obtained. There the interview David Willcock and Steve Davies may turn out to have been significant. Other stories in issue 406 would have made unpleasant reading in London.

Lively links for today

Interesting links of the sort it is easy to miss (and which I wish to remember), all showing today by googling Commercial Cultures National Railway Museum

http://www.darntonegs.com/Portfolio/Culture/NationalRailwayMuseum/tabid/147/language/en-US/Default.aspx

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/9492537/National-Railway-Museum-hit-by-nepotism-row-as-curators-husband-wins-contracts.html


The Daily Telegraph story is about nepotism at the NRM. Is this a silly season story? Will it appear in the railway press? I am far too far away to take sides or offer an opinion although I note a typically assertively expressed statement of support by Steve Davies for his staff. It does suggest someone somewhere in the museum is unhappy or has an axe to grind. 

(also see http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/go/news/article/1146799/national-railway-museum-nepotism-row-contracts/ , it seems this started as an "exclusive Yorkshire Post" investigation http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/at-a-glance/main-section/yorks-s-national-railway-museum-hit-by-nepotism-row-over-work-for-painter-exclusive-1-4854822 .)

http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/irs/irshome/news/news.htm  (promise of an interesting exhibition relevant to ourselves) "The project will result in a major exhibition at the National Railway Museum from late 2012, along with an app which will deliver geographically relevant historical marketing material to travellers on today's East Coast train services."

And while on links seen today, this one found separately records a definite one off moment
http://www.heritagerailway.co.uk/news/an-a3-and-an-a4-in-black-together .

And very topical this week on Youtube (seen via NRM twitter flow) Dwight D Eisenhower arriving Halifax in a VERY LONG train http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMDlfHkwIuw&feature=youtu.be .

Dwight D Eisenhower on the move in the USA

A really interesting photo set from Moveright International whose own master website is very interesting

http://www.flickr.com/photos/moveright/sets/72157630805686936/with/7707085126/ . One tangential message social media are becoming first points of contact before the prime website. I mean by that the current job with all the focus is on Flickr and not the website. I might be wrong, tell me.

4472's next few months

There's an NRM update on where 4472 Flying Scotsman goes in the coming months and the work left to do http://www.nrm.org.uk/flyingscotsman/see.aspx .

NRM official line on the Mallard 75th record anniversary

From Twitter brand new on NRM press site, the A4 story http://www.nrm.org.uk/PlanaVisit/Events/mallard75.aspx

 

great spectacle, a few RNF raised eyebrows, "35 A4s were built, but only six survive". 6/35ths of the class? How many more is there room for? How about an entire new build one with which to break Mallard's record?