Category: Transport

Shipley Glen Tramway Launches Fundraising Appeal

Shipley Glen Tramway Launches Fundraising Appeal

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The Shipley Glen Tramway, near Saltaire in West Yorkshire, is launching a fundraising appeal for £89,000, to pay for vital repairs to the trackway after prolonged damage by the weather. It opened in 1895 linking Baildon with Saltaire and is Britain’s oldest working cable tramway. The tramway has two tracks and a pair of tram cars and runs every Sunday between midday and 16:00.

The site has been run by a charitable trust since 2002. Trustee John Pitcher, speaking to the BBC, said that the electrically-powered funicular had been assessed as safe to continue to operate. However, for the works to be carried out it would have to be temporarily closed. “What has happened, over the years, is that the damp has washed away underneath the tracks actually into the track bed, so the track bed is now a little bit unstable. Over the years we’ve maintained it, and you can stick patches on for so long, but there comes a time when you need a little bit more than an Elastoplast.”

More details on how to donate here: https://www.shipleyglentramway.co.uk/

Historic England Launch New Book: ‘England’s Lost Transport Heritage from the Air’

Historic England Launch New Book: ‘England’s Lost Transport Heritage from the Air’

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Historic England and Liverpool University Press have recently published ‘England’s Lost Transport Heritage from the Air’, our latest industrial heritage title – https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/englands-lost-transport-heritage-from-air/. Written by Allan Brodie, this book uses Aerofilms’ remarkable photographic collection to tell the story of England’s lost transport heritage, from Roman roads to supersonic Concorde.

Flying across the country from 1919 onwards Aerofilms recorded England’s complex infrastructure of road, rail and maritime transport. The book complements Historic England’s earlier publications ‘England’s Railway Heritage from the Air (https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/englands-railway-heritage-from-the-air/) and ‘England’s Motoring Heritage from the Air’ (https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/englands-motoring-heritage-from-air/).

Heston Airport, Heston, Greater London (August 1932). Image copyright Historic England. Aerofilms Collection
Carbon Literacy Training for Heritage Organisations

Carbon Literacy Training for Heritage Organisations

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On the 24th February 2025, the Carbon Lieteracy Project will be holding an online Shareable Courses Launch Event. At the event they will be launching six ready-to-use Carbon Literacy courses that can be used to deliver internal Carbon Literacy training within archives, heritage organisations, libraries, theatres, public leisure/culture trusts, and across the cultural sector.

The online launch event is free, and will involve the course creators and people who have been delivering the courses. There will be presentations about the creators’ ambitions for the courses, how to access them, and how they can be used. One of the six new courses is for Heritage Organisations. This course is an affordable, flexible, and sector-specific training programme for heritage organisations based in the UK.

The Shareable Course for Heritage Organisations is built on the success of the Carbon Literacy for Museums Toolkit. Developed by Historic England and Historic Buildings and Places, the course aims to support the wider heritage sector, from organisations that manage heritage sites to those who provide heritage services. Book your place here.

ABTEM One Day Seminar Date Changed to 14th November 2023

ABTEM One Day Seminar Date Changed to 14th November 2023

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The date of the ABTEM 2023 seminar focussing on how transport collections are facing the challenge of climate change and sustainability, has been moved from October to November 14th 2023. This is to avoid any disruption from tube strikes in London.

The ‘Going Green: Carbon Reduction Challenges for Transport Museums & Collections’ seminar will run from 10:15am to 16:30pm at the London Transport Museum’s Depot at Gunnersbury Lane, London, W3 9BQ. The speakers will include Tim Bryan (Chair of ABTEM), Nicola Grahamslaw (SS Great Britian Trust), and Daniel Miles (Historic England). The emphasis of the day will be on best practice solutions that can inspire curators, volunteers and others to help address climate change and embed environmental sustainability into their operation and work.

For details on how to book this event follow this link to Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/going-greencarbon-reduction-challenges-for-transport-museums-collections-tickets-708550974037?aff=oddtdtcreator

ABTEM One Day Seminar, October 2023

ABTEM One Day Seminar, October 2023

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The Association of British Transport & Engineering Museums (ABTEM) is holding its 2023 seminar on 4 October at the London Transport Museum Depot and London Museum of Water & Steam. The seminar will focus on how transport collections are facing the challenge of climate change and sustainability and how carbon reduction and environmental impacts are being tackled by museums large and small.

The emphasis of the day will be on best practice solutions that can inspire curators, volunteers, and others to help address climate change and embed environmental sustainability into their operation and work. We have assembled a great selection of speakers from a variety of organisations; the morning session will be held at the LT Museum Depot (with a chance to tour the collections) and then a heritage bus will transport delegates to the London Museum of Water & Steam for an afternoon walk and talk session.

The delegate fee is only £20 for a packed day and includes lunch. For further details and how to book follow the link here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/going-greencarbon-reduction-challenges-for-transport-museums-collections-tickets-708550974037?aff=oddtdtcreator

For more about the work of ABTEM follow this link: https://abtem.co.uk/

ABTEM 2023 Annual Seminar to Look at Transport Collections & Climate Change

ABTEM 2023 Annual Seminar to Look at Transport Collections & Climate Change

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The Association of British Transport & Engineering Museums (ABTEM) 2023 annual seminar will be held on the 4th October. It will focus on how transport collections are facing the challenge of climate change and sustainability, and how carbon reduction and environmental impacts are being tackled by museums large and small.

The emphasis of the day will be on best practice solutions that can inspire curators, volunteers, and others to help address climate change and embed environmental sustainability into their operation and work. The morning session of the seminar will be held at the LT Museum at Acton, London, followed by an afternoon walk and talk session at the nearby London Museum of Water & Steam based around the theme of ‘Sustainable Steam and Sustainable Communities’.

The seminar marks the relaunch of ABTEM and further events and activities are planned for 2024. For further details of the network, and how to join, please visit www.abtem.co.uk. A programme and full list of speakers will be announced shortly. To register an interest please contact: abtemseminar@gmail.com

Science and Industry Museum Manchester Partners with Landmark Trust to Create Heritage Holiday Home

Science and Industry Museum Manchester Partners with Landmark Trust to Create Heritage Holiday Home

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A pioneering partnership between the Science and Industry museum Manchester and the Landmark Trust will see the Station Agent’s House made available for overnight stay for up to eight people, alongside free public open days. This is one of Manchester’s oldest surviving Georgian houses, and adjoins the Museum’s Grade I listed 1830 Station.

The Station Agent’s House will be the Landmark Trust’s first property in the region, and will join a collection of 200 historic buildings once completed. A final £118,000 is needed to meet the costs of the repair and conversion work, which will include an improved environmental performance through the installation of heat pumps.

The building, on the corner of Liverpool Road and Water Street in Castlefield, was built in 1808 for John Rothwell, partner in a nearby dyeworks. The house then provided accommodation for the Station Agent at Liverpool Road Station before being converted for shop use in the mid 20th century. More recently, the former residential house was used as offices when the Science and Industry Museum opened on the site in 1983. The shop frontage was removed, and a replica of the historic doorway was reinstated. The adjacent 1830 Station is currently being repaired ahead of re-opening to the public in future years as part of the museum’s major conservation and redevelopment plans.

Sally MacDonald, Director of the Science and Industry Museum said “We are delighted that the Landmark Trust will be bringing their expertise in sensitively restoring incredible heritage buildings to enable Station Agent’s House to be experienced by the public for the first time.”

Anna Keay, Director of The Landmark Trust, said the Station Agent’s House “is an outstanding piece of industrial heritage. The building will be sensitively repaired and made available to all through self-catering stays and free public open days. As a charity, the Landmark Trust is committed to saving and sustaining outstanding heritage, and is thrilled to be playing a role in Manchester.’

SS Freshspring Free Family Open Day 30th August 2021

SS Freshspring Free Family Open Day 30th August 2021

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IHN Cornwall & Devon member SS Freshspring is inviting the public on board for their family open day on Monday 30th August (Bank Holiday Monday) from 11.30am-4pm. The ship, moored along Landivisiau Walk, Bideford quay, will be open to the public for free with a range of children’s activities, entertainment and celebrations to mark the ship’s 75th anniversary. This event is suitable for all ages and there is no charge for entry.

During the day there will be free tours of the ship (learning all about her rich heritage), children’s activities (including rope making and knot tying), as well as a special visit from local children’s author, Anthony Burt, reading his book The Wish Fish which is based upon the Freshspring ship. These interactive reading workshops will last approximately 15 minutes and will take place at 12pm, 2pm and 3.30pm and attendees will receive a free signed copy of the book. Steam engine rides will be running along the quay for both children and adults to enjoy (with a small contribution going towards the charity). There will also be aerial act performances throughout the day.

Local charity, Way of the Wharves, who research and present the history of the wharves and surrounding area of East the Water, Bideford, will also be joining the SS Freshspring to share knowledge of the rich maritime history in North Devon.

Becca Craft, Public Engagement Officer at the Freshspring Trust says, “We are so pleased to be opening over the bank holiday weekend and can’t wait to welcome you on board for our family open day, celebrating our 75th anniversary event. We have lots planned for the day, so please pop along and see us. I always say that we are quite possibly Bideford’s best kept secret and most are unaware of SS Freshspring’s rich history, including how our chairman bought her 8 years ago for £1!”

Due to covid-19 there will still be limited numbers on board and all health and safety instructions will be given to visitors prior to boarding the ship. As well as this event, SS Freshspring is open every Sunday throughout summer (free to visit).