Railway Working Towards Accreditation

Transcription

1 October 2016 Issue No. 15 Isle of Wight Steam Railway Museum & Archives Review Railway Working Towards Accreditation Much of the work of the M&A Dept. has been preparing documentation to meet the standards required to be become an accredited museum under the Arts Council England s Museum Accreditation scheme. The Railway has been fortunate in that Gary Wragg has agreed to be the Railway s mentor for the application process and he has valuable experience that will help shape our application documents. Because the Railway as a whole is applying to be an accredited museum it means that other Departments across the Railway will also be completing paperwork for the application, and when the Railway gains accredited status it will have an impact on how historic assets are used and preserved. To be quite clear, being an accredited museum will not mean that the Railway cannot run or repair locomotives or other historic rolling stock but it will mean that detailed records of repairs; overhauls or modifications will have to be made (something that already happens anyway under ROGS Railway and Other Guided Transport Systems regulations) and that the Railway meets industry standards when caring for; acquiring and disposing of historic assets. Accredited Status will potentially unlock various grant opportunities and will also make borrowing items from other museums much easier as we will have evidence that we meet the required standards. museum@iwsteamrailway.co.uk

2 Page 2 Photographic Collection by Roger Silsbury Steve Castle, another of our long standing members, has decided to place his photographic collection in the Archive. At my request, he is trying to date as many images as possible and this will obviously take time as Steve, although recently retired, is actively involved in several facets of the Railway. Asking donors to rack their brains to help identify images, particularly dates, certainly cuts down on the detective work when cataloguing. Steve has passed over the first of his albums, covering some of the earliest years of the fledgling Isle of Wight Steam Railway. and I have chosen two images from the summer of OK, they are not of the highest quality, having been taken on a cheap camera, but are invaluable in helping chart the fantastic progress that has been achieved in the 45 years since. For many members who have become involved since those early days, especially more recently, it is quite an eye-opener to see what Haven Street Station looked like shortly after we first arrived. Both show track liberally festooned with weeds and a very basic site with no facilities other than a grass-covered platform and a station building, although a down starting signal has been erected. In the view from Bridge 9, Calbourne stands on the up loop, whilst the ex- Midland Railway crane and the LSWR Road van are on the down loop. Both above and right images by Steve Castle. The second view was taken just a little west of where the water tank now stands and shows all six of the bogie carriages in the down loop. The only other place we had to berth any rolling stock was on the stub of the running line east of Haven Street, which extended some 400 yards and was known as the Ashey Siding.

3 Page 3 New Accessions by Paul Hitchcock The Museum and Archive Group is always eager to receive donations of items with a connection to the railways of the Isle of Wight and associated ferry services. However, the perennial problem is one of space, especially where the object concerned is a sizeable one. Two such donations received in 2016 illustrate this problem and how it was resolved with the assistance of our friends in Train Story. Sir John Thorneycroft, of the famous shipbuilders, had a house in Bembridge and, apart from association with the family business, was a Director of the Southern Railway. Thus his suitcase/trunk was an appropriate item for the Railway and so it was kindly donated by Richard Bishop. This rather splendid piece of luggage, by A.W. Dear of Knightsbridge, was clearly far too large to display, readily, in the Museum. Indeed, it created storage problems behind the scenes! It had provenance which made its display most desirable. Enter Train Story and its newly restored luggage cage. Now Sir John s suitcase/trunk resides in this vehicle along with an assortment of representative items of a kind which were taken to and from the Island by passenger ferry. Left: Thorneycroft Case. Z2/2016/0001 Right: Train destination board displayed on SECR Brake Third 4145 in Train Story. E12/2016/0003 Pictures by Mike Elsom Also we have been pleased to receive an item from so august an institution as the Museum of London. This is a train destination board of the sort which used to adorn the sides of guard s vans in the steam era and still do on the I.O.W.S.R. Clearly this board, which covered services from Pier Head to Ventnor, had received its last repaint in early British Railways days. It is in the early carmine red style with yellow lettering. The problem was, of course, its size. There was nowhere in the Museum where it could go comfortably in relation to other exhibits. Yet the answer also layat Train Story in the form of Brake 3 rd 4145, awaiting its turn for underframe repairs and painted currently in the same carmine red livery. It was very satisfying to place the board into appropriate mounting brackets for the first time in over fifty years! Clearly, when the carriage gets its turn in the workshop, the board will have to be stored elsewhere. Nevertheless, it does show that the Group will do what it can to ensure new donations do receive some public display as soon as they can. Renewed thanks to Train Story staff for their help

4 Page 4 List of Periodicals The Railway has an extensive collection of periodicals. The current catalogue is listed below and on the following pages. If you would like to view the collection please contact the Museum & Archives Department by at: museum@iwsteamrailway.co.uk BackTrack. Recording Britain s Railway History Special Introductory Issue; Vol A published index to Vols. 1 25, is held. Bluebell News (29) No. 4 Winter Brading Station News 2013 Nos. 1-3 All published. British Railways Southern Region Magazine (1) 1948 (2) 1949 British Railways Magazine. Southern Region (1) 1950 (13) 1962 No. 6 June British Steam Railways and how they shaped our history Nos A DVD accompanies each issue. Connections. The Magazine of the Medina Valley Railway No. 1 January 1977 No. 20 February All published The Enterprise. The Magazine of the Isle of Wight Bus and Coach Museum No. 1 December Footplate Times. Internal Newsletter of the Operating Department (Isle of Wight Railway Co. Ltd.). No. 1, August 2016 Heritage Railway No. 1 May Island Rail News. The magazine of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway No Quarterly Isle of Wight Steam Railway Museum and Archives Review No. 1 January 2013 (Irregular) IWSR Safety Management News No. 1 November (Irregular) IWSR Staff and Volunteers Bulletin. No. 1 November (Irregular) Journal of The Stephenson Locomotive Society 1930 Oct-Dec bound in with (7) 1931; (8) 1932 (48) 1972 bound; (49) 1973 (54) 1978 in binders; (55) 1979 (61) 1985 unbound Locomotives Illustrated No. 1 February 1975 No. 170 April May All published. Mechanical Times. Internal Newsletter of the Mechanical Engineering Department (Isle of Wight Railway Co Ltd) No. 1 Feb 1997 No. 83 July 2006 Please note that access is strictly by prior arrangement only Note: Issues 1 and 2 were issued under the title The Answer. A two-leaf Internal Memorandum entitled What s Happening Winter 2015 was issued 1 October 2015 and prompted the resurrection of the newsletter. No. 84 January 2016 Mid-Hants News Nos. 17, 19, 28, 35-41, 65-66, 88, 118, , 133, 139, , , 152 Autumn Over the Points: A quarterly review of matters concerning the Southern Railway 1929 March No April No. 44 All published.

5 Page 5 List of Periodicals 2. The Railway Magazine (1) 1897 (4) 1899 Jan - June (11) 1902 Jul - Dec (16) 1905 (21) 1907 July - Dec (24) 1909 Jan - June (40-41) 1917 (43) 1918 July Dec - Bound volumes are those volumes held up to and including (24) 1909; (46 and 47) 1920; (67) 1930 July - Dec; (68) 1931 Jan - June; (70) 1932 (108) 1962; (116) 1970 (131) 1985 All other issues are unbound. In addition, Railway Magazine Miscellany , edited by Henry Maxwell and published by Allen & Unwin, 1958, is held. It contains reprints of selected articles. Note: There are published indexes to this title and in addition some in-house indexing has been done to itemise articles of Island interest. The Railway News (1) (2) Continued as The Railway Observer The Railway Observer (1) Railways South East Vol. 1, No. 1 Winter 1987/88 Vol. 3 No. 4 Summer. All published Southern Newsletter (1) 1979 Southern Notebook (3) 1974 Aug No. 28 Southern Rail News. The Newspaper of British Railways Nos. 3 5 Sep Nov 1964 Nos April - May; Aug Oct; 18 Dec 1965 Nos Jan Feb; April Sep Note: Ceased publication with No. 27? An in-house index to matters of Island interest accompanies the Issued held. Southern Railway Magazine (1) 1923 (25) 1947 Issue Nos Note: In-house indexes have been compiled for all years except 1932 and 1933 and itemise matters of Island interest The Southern Way Bumper Preview Issue; Issue No Steam Days No. 1 April June Steam Railway No Swanage Railway Magazine Vol. 1 Vol. 4 No. 21 Spring 2005; No. 77 Summer Note: originally published under the title Swanage Railway News to Vol. 3 No. 14, Winter After Vol. 4 No. 21 Spring 2005 published in a running issue number sequence commencing with No. 77 Summer 2005 Swashway Subtitled: a) Journal of the M.V. Southsea Society. Nos. 6-9 Spring 1989 Winter 1989/90 b) For the Ferry Enthusiast. Nos. 10 Spring Winter 1991/92 c) Focusing on Ferries. Nos. 18 Spring August 1996 d) Ferry Newslink. Nos. 43 May March museum@iwsteamrailway.co.uk

6 Page 6 List of Periodicals 3. Talking Tickets. The magazine for Historical Rail tickets. No. 1 Summer Note: an in-house index of items of Island interest has been compiled. Team Tram Times. Newsletter of the Ryde Pier Tram No2 restoration group. No. 1 September 2012 No. 2 February 2013 Note: all subsequent reports on the tram restoration project are contained in Island Rail News. Tenterden Terrier Nos. 19; 51; 54; The Terrier. Newsletter of the Sandown Railway Enthusiasts Club. Nos. 21, 22, 24-27, 30, 33 ( ) TrackPack An informal monthly internal newsletter covering Civil Engineering and Estates Issue dated 23/4/98; Issue No. 5 August 1998; February 1999 December 1999; 2000 January May, December; 2001 January, March November; Note: August 2006; August 2010; August 2011; March 2014 not issued. Lacks November 2005 Train Story Newsletter No. 1 March Trains Illustrated (1) 1946 (14) 1961 All published Trains Illustrated No ? - 57 Jan March 1986 Notes: Ceased publication with No. 57. Subtitles were: issues to No. 24 British Railways Then & Now; Express Trains; Railway Preservation; Railway Heritage. Issue No. 48 features Isle of Wight Steam. Transport Digest. The Journal of The Transport Trust No. 106 Spring Wight Report Preliminary Issue October 1967; Nos , January 1968 Winter 1998 (All published; continued as Island Rail News) Wight Report Extra An informal newsletter of miscellaneous items distributed with Wight Report and included with issues Not issued with No. 95 If you have any items that may fill gaps in the Yesteryear Transport periodical collection please contact the M&A Dept. Nos.1 14, All published. by at: museum@iwsteamrailway or speak to Status date: Correct 20/8/2016 Roger Macdonald at the Railway. Ticket Scanning Update Above: TI/2013/0316 dated 24 April 1963 The Railway s ticket collection now contains nearly 2,400 examples. As part of the cataloguing process digital scans are being produced. So far around 700 tickets have been scanned and it is hoped that the whole collection will be scanned by Above: TI/2013/0414 dated 9 October 1964

7 Page 7 Ticket Collection Have you got a ticket? Roger Macdonald is still on the look out for tickets to fill gaps in the collection: Any Pre-grouping tickets Southern Railway tickets Any tickets from the Freshwater and Bembridge lines. SR Platform ticket Mill Hill Holiday Runabout tickets for the following years 1933; 1934; 1948; 1951; 1955; 1956; 1958; 1959 and 1960 Any Season tickets If you have any tickets that you would like to donate please contact Roger at the Railway or by at roger.macdonald@iwsteamrailway.co.uk Have you got something to add to the collection? The Railway is always grateful for donations of Island railway-related artefacts; archive material; photographs and audio visual material. If you have something that you would like to donate please contact the M&A Dept. either by or at the address shown below. Contact Details: Isle of Wight Steam Railway, The Railway Station, Havensteet, Isle of Wight, PO33 4DS museum@iwsteamrailway.co.uk Museum Contact: Steve Holden (Museum & Archives Department) Isle of Wight Railway Company Ltd 2016