The Society Heritage Collection

[clayliner]

(Not prototype information, but not sure where else to put this! - we ordinary mortals don't seem able to access the Society 'General' section)

Many members of the Society will be aware that the Society holds a Heritage Collection of models dating back to the early days

[rod335]

Running articles in the News on the Heritage Collection is currently under (sporadic) consideration. I am delighted someone else has any interest in these models, sadly, when they are displayed on the Society stand at exhibitions and member's days they seem to attract little attention. I suppose that is a direct consequence of the age of the models, they only appeal to members over 'a certain age'. Some consideration was given to making Mick's photographs available on disc to interested parties but for the life of me I cannot recall what if any decision was made. There may be a copyright question with Mick about this.

[B.Meldon]

Comments from interested parties, and others, welcomed.

David.

I would also like to see photos and articles about the 009 Society Heritage Collection.

I would also be happy to take the photos and write the articles, but I would need help from others with some of the information.
But there may be practical issues with this.

Brian Meldon

[Ian Jopson]

Why not a 'special' publication. Having photos taken specially for it would a) solve a copyright problem, b) show the models in the best way, and from all sides. Sales would help fund more items? Of course, there could be many reasons why this isn't practical.

[Elmgate]

Totally inadequate notice, I am sure, but a Society display stand will be at EXPONG tomorrow - this would be a suitable place to display some of the collection. I am not sure that I have ever seen these in the flesh? Perhaps I am one of those who have overlooked them at the exhibitions I have attended. Whenever they are displayed, I suggest a full description, with an explanation of their significance should be included.

Tim

[rod335]

It's a 500+ mile round trip for me to Expong which I am not prepared to undertake at my own expense now! Providing 'full details' of the models when displayed does present some logistical problems. But I do think we will get them into the News sometime soon, one at a time seems a good idea, perhaps a photograph with an extended caption per issue would be the way to do it.

[Scottish Modeller]

Hi Rod,

Comments as relevant to each section of your response.

It's a 500+ mile round trip for me to Expong which I am not prepared to undertake at my own expense now!

That is understandable and will be one of the perpetual obstacles in executing this idea.

Providing 'full details' of the models when displayed does present some logistical problems.

How about creating a full details/fact sheet for each on the items and having them available as pdf's to download? That would allow anyone interested to get the full back story and also enable the documents to be printed out whenever the items are displayed.

But I do think we will get them into the News sometime soon, one at a time seems a good idea, perhaps a photograph with an extended caption per issue would be the way to do it.

I like this idea! It would still require someone to write up the captions and provide publishable photos to the editor.

Is there an existing list of the items in the collection?

Thanks
Phil H

[clayliner]

It's a 500+ mile round trip for me to Expong which I am not prepared to undertake at my own expense now!

I infer from this, Rod, that the Collection is currently in your care. I would entirely sympathise with your comment about it not being worth the trip up to ExpoNG - that's entirely reasonable. But is the implication of this that the Collection is unlikely to be seen 'in the flesh' anywhere, say, east of Wimborne or north of Bristol?

If so, then if a home could be found for it more centrally it might be able to be exhibited more often?

David.

[rod335]

We do manage to move bits of the collection around when required, Derek Naylor's Aire Valley locos went to York this year. Yes, I do have the collection and have restored nearly all of the locos to working condition since they have been in my custody. It was suggested last year that the collection be passed to someone else to take them to various exhibitions around the country. It was also suggested that I would still be expected to repair them if they were damaged in any way. I was not happy with this idea and would relinquish my position as Heritage Officer if this situation came about. It is, perhaps, worth reflecting on the fact that no one else had actually done any restoration work on the collection until I was appointed to the post.

However, the collection has to be viewed realistically. Whilst some members would be very interested in seeing them, they would be in a very small minority of the total membership and therefore moving the items around the country at the drop of a hat would be costly and inconvenient for the benefit of a few.

Personally I think putting details in the News regularly is the way forward.

[MickT]

As my name has been mentioned a couple of times in this topic with regard to assumptions that there may be copyright issues about the use of photos that I took of the Society's Heritage Collection, please allow me to put this one at least to bed.

I took photos for catalogue/insurance purposes of the entire contents of the collection as it then was - 272 items, way back in April 2009, ie 8

[clayliner]

Thanks to Mick and others for helpful comments.

Hopefully we can look forward to seeing some of the more interesting items from the Collection soon in the News. But it would still be good, I think, to be able to view them on the Society website as well.

Apart from Rod, I note that none of the other Committee members have made any comment on the subject. Maybe they don't look at the Society forum very often (surely not?)

David.

[rod335]

Some of the collection will be at Warley. I know David Gander has an interest in the collection but I am not sure the other directors are all that interested. It is probably an age thing. Should be some articles in the News in the new year. Meanwhile, look out for some other Heritage-related news in due course.

[danny]

It is probably an age thing.

I'm a student and I find the heritage collection interesting, it shows how the hobby has developed and some of the key points in the history of 009 (similar to real heritage railways in some ways), so age is not necessarily related to it. However, I can appreciate that some people will not be aware of the significance of the heritage items and some younger members may not have heard of the layouts/modellers they represent; others may be unaware that the items still exist. I would agree on the idea of a series of articles in the News, and would add that these might spark an interest in the collection for those who are unaware of it at present.

[paul ludlow]

Danny, well said, i too would be interested in finding out the history of narrow gauge modelling, as i have heard of some of the famous pioneers in the hobby and would be very interested in learning more. As a man once famously said, every days a school day, Paul.

[George Surridge]

Some of the collection will be at Warley. I know David Gander has an interest in the collection but I am not sure the other directors are all that interested. It is probably an age thing. Should be some articles in the News in the new year. Meanwhile, look out for some other Heritage-related news in due course.

A "Heritage Collection" sounds important  and if so it's a shame if there is lack of interest at a high level.  I support regular features about it's contents in the 009 News.  Clearly it is an asset of the Society that many know little or nothing about., but probably would like to.
In anticipation,
George Surridge