STEAM Swindon Reorganisation

That is very true. I am neither agreeing nor disagreeing that the behaviour was inappropriate, I am simply pointing out that it is highly unlikely (and it's profoundly sexist to suggest otherwise) that the behaviour was because the people in question were women.

Most likely they are a small team with a lot of work on, who simply didn't have time to deal with a particularly idiosyncratic request.

Simon

 

If they are council employees and it is local government funded, then the people in question are probably expected to each do a job which was covered by three or four people a few years ago, and have had no pay rise for years. They probably don't have time to indulge what sounds like bizarre requests from strange men who are indulging their hobby.
It is ridiculous to suggest their gender is relevant. Half of my team is female, and they are at least as good engineers as the males.
It may be relevant that they have no technical background and didn't have a clue what you were talking about - but nor would most people, probably me (CEng) included.

 

I think there is a bit of confusion over what a Museum does and what Railwayacs like to do. Yes a spur and a platform and a shuttle service to Didcot et al sounds great to us. But it isn't what a Museum does. The people running Steam are not Enthusisats, they are (I assume ) professional museum curators. They are there to display and conserve their artifacts, it probably doesn't matter to them what the actual exhibits are. The General Public are their audience, not us.

 

Exactly my point and how I went away feeling. They could move all the railway exhibits and displays out, change it to something completely different and the same curators would carry on displaying and conserving.
It's just a shame that being a railway themed museum there doesn't seem to be any engineering specialist knowledge there as you find at the NRM. They're simply displaying shared NRM exhibits.

 

A story that I quite like telling some of the less talkative people down here is of the day last autumn when I was handing over 30120 to the afternoon relief crew; a chap came up to the footplate and asked if his father could have a look. I said that time was a bit tight, but he was welcome to have a quick look and I would do my best to answer any questions in between giving information on the condition of the loco and the line to my relief.

Anyway, after a little while we had had a bit of a chat and both got off the loco; walking away the son said "Thank you for that, he really appreciated that. I'm actually in the rail industry myself...[handing over business card] I'm Managing Director of XXX FOC; if you guys ever need anything, let me know"!

A conversation that wouldn't have been had, and contact that would never have been made, if I'd simply ignored him while handing over to the relief Driver.

 

One of my favourite ever preservation experiences was at STEAM a few years ago. I went along with my Dad and was boring him with a few facts underneath Pendennis Castle. Noticed an older chap listening in but didn't think anything of it. Had a sit down in Evening Star's cab (museum was virtually empty), and the older chap climbed up too. After a minute or two of chatting he mentioned he used to fire 9Fs regularly, including Evening Star. Had one of the most interesting 45min chats of my life as he told us various stories, showed us correct firing technique etc. Wish I'd noted down his name. Would be so interesting to make use of gents (and ladies) like that, who make the whole experience come to life...


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Our railway installed a set of carriage lifting jacks about 10 years ago and by coincidence, our group were the first on the railway to provide a vehicle needing lifting.

Once it was up in the air, a bloke and his wife wandered into the shed uninvited and started looking at what we were doing. Rather than aggressively demand what they were doing this side of the public fence, we engauged them in however a friendly conversation about our preservation endeavours.

This was just as well, as the couple then introduced themselves as having donated said jacks in the first place, they were checking in to see if they'd given them to an organisation that was actually going to use them!

Moral of the story: you never know who you may be talking to...

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I've a feeling there may be examples at Crewe and possibly Kidderminster but I've never been to one and memory of the other is hazy, they may only be miniature levers.
I know a chap who has a simulator-driven signalbox in his garden, but I guess that he wouldn't appreciate me advertising its location!

 

I know of a few garden based signalling setups. One of my work colleagues has 3 boxes stimulating most of Ely in his suburban semi back garden!

 

Mr Pike's back garden is absolutely bonkers isn't it? Never mind Ely, he has half the Fens controlled from his shed!

 

I have spent some interesting days there when work has been slow I have to admit.

 

I know Ely is a quiet city, but having to be remotely stimulated?

 

I have seen Richard's garden and he knows the other person I was referring to!

 

Hello all

I am planning a visit to STEAM this year as 4073, 2516 and 9400 would all be 'cops' for me. Does any one know whether Lode Star (another potential cop) is due to return to Swindon any time soon or was the move to York more permanent.

Thanks in advance.