Poor Old Bruce Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Saturday's operation is probably timed to coincide with our exhibition at the Roundhouse. It also used to operate on the weekends when the exhibition was at the Assembly Rooms (I used to nip across the road to see it). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 The next date actually seems to be this coming Saturday: http://www.derbymuseums.org/events/railway5/#.VUovjs4vSwE It looks like using the Search Our Events box and entering "Model Railway" will return the upcoming operating sessions that are scheduled. There don't seem to be any scheduled after the end of May at the moment. Hmm, looks like I might have a good reason to visit the old place sometime in the near future. I somehow missed that, despite fighting with their website for a few minutes to see if the layout was operating on Saturday! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mike Bellamy Posted May 6, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 6, 2015 The next date actually seems to be this coming Saturday: http://www.derbymuseums.org/events/railway5/#.VUovjs4vSwE Hmm, looks like I might have a good reason to visit the old place sometime in the near future. I would agree that this Saturday would be an ideal time to visit, then you can also come to the Derby Exhibition at The Roundhouse http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/95551-derby-the-roundhouse-9-10-may-2015/ Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 ..... Hard to believe that the Baseball Ground with its skew-wiff stand has gone completely. At least when Highbury was redeveloped they retained the listed stands; it's disappointing that no part of the Baseball Ground was ever listed. No, but it was listing (to one side).... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 At least we won things when we played at the Baseball Ground..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 I went today, after my visit to the Derby show. The Silk Mill itself had changed quite a lot - apparently it's in the process of being stripped of asbestos, with the ground floor already done. So most of the old fashioned museum was gone, with wood and glass cases and typewriter produced labels. Which is a shame, as I quite liked the time-warp feel. The ground floor and the railway gallery were the only bits open, with the ground floor mostly just an empty space being used for children's activities. The railway gallery is still unchanged, with the section on Derby Research still stuck in the early 1990s. And then there's the model railway - it's still under construction with quite a lot of the buildings now complete. It is very good, by far the best O gauge layout I've ever seen, with everything built to a very high standard. Despite being an imaginary location it captures the feel of the old MR line through the Peak district (or at least the remains which I've walked). I'd recommend a visit if it's operating. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mike Bellamy Posted May 20, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 20, 2015 Very pleased to see that the Silk Mill Museum in Derby is to receive £9.3m from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards the £16m cost for a complete redevelopment that will include the Model Railway and the Midland Railway Study Centre http://www.derbymuseums.org/hlfsuccess/#.VVx8qMtATcs http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/pound-16m-revamp-Derby-s-Silk-set-bring-120-000/story-26533959-detail/story.html . 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 According to the downloadable document on Derby Museum's website: RAILWAYS REVEALED As a central feature of our collections, the making and technical processes behind the Midland Model Railway will be brought to the fore in this creative re-imagining of the display. Railways Revealed will be a visitor-led experience celebrating the mechanical and making processes taking place to create the Midland Model Railway using technology such as Augmented Reality and use of Raspberry Pi’s. I'm not entirely sure what this means, but I do hope the model railway survives its encounter with it. It does feel as if the museum is in the process of swinging from one extreme (a 1950s time warp of glass cases) to the other (some kind of interactive multimedia experience thing designed by hipsters). (Resists temptation to make a sarcastic comment about their user of a possessive apostrophe to pluralise 'Rasberry Pi'). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 That quote makes as much sense as a political manifesto. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 I'd vote for the Raspberry party. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 I think it means 'There will be some stuff about how we made the model' but in trendy museum speak. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poor Old Bruce Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 (edited) Being a technophobe, I prefer the type of raspberry pie you have with custard (somebody had to say it). I'll get me coat now! Edited for typo. Edited May 21, 2015 by Poor Old Bruce 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted May 21, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 21, 2015 I'd vote for the Raspberry party. Here's a logo for them! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Sums up things quite nicely at the moment........ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 How very true. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Miles Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 As part of the refurbishment of the Silk Mill, there were plans initially to get rid of the layout. This was then amended to moving it elsewhere in the building. If you have ever had a peep behind the scenes, you would realise that any move would destroy the layout. From what I hear, common sense is now prevailing and the layout will remain in situ. Visitor surveys show it to be the most popular thing in the museum. It is also an excellent bit of modelling. The stock is superb. The layout was built to operate automatically and there is a mass of electronics and cabling which nobody understands so there is a work around which the operators use, Good to hear they have won the HLF funding. Without this the whole museum was at risk. It seems the price of the win is that the ground floor will be some sort of amusement park but that is what the fashion is with museums at present. It is all about appealing to the YOOTH market. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penlan Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 (edited) John, Brian Badger did a load of restoration and repainting a couple of decades ago of the Museum stock, I was able to view and handle the stock in his workshop at the time - wonderful.I've seen the wiring, I recall long ago being asked to have a look at it, I did, and just looked. Re. ground floor, everything seems to be becoming inter-active and seems to be like some current TV programmes, .... we seem to back to '.....Teaching Grandma to suck eggs...' a lot of the time.I still have my Visitors Book of the layout somewhere, can't recall the date now, but I think late '50's. Edited June 2, 2015 by Penlan 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejstubbs Posted April 18, 2016 Author Share Posted April 18, 2016 As the Derby model railway exhibition is coming round again soon I thought I'd check out whether the Silk Mill layout is going to be running the same weekend. I couldn't find any operating dates later than July 2015 on their web site. Has it all gone quiet again over there? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mike Bellamy Posted April 18, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 18, 2016 I found a very detailed 'What's On' publication here http://www.derbymuseums.org/woaprjun16/#.VxTK1032bcs Also here http://issuu.com/derbymuseums/docs/wo_apr-jun_2016_issuu_final/19?e=7758467/34648807 That shows the Model Railway as being open for viewing on 16 April (last weekend), 28 May and 25 June (see page 25 of the Guide above) The Silk Mill museum is open on the Saturday of our show - see page 26 where you can 'Make a Screwdriver' !! That confirms the building is open and so I assume that you can see the static displays. They are also holding other events there that could be said to be model related - 3D scanning, the use of Inkscape and Laser Cutting but none coincide with our show dates. Although it's only a couple of miles away, I must admit I haven't been for a number of years. Perhaps a call to 01332 642234 might tell you more. Mike PS - thanks for supporting our show ! . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Miles Posted April 18, 2016 Share Posted April 18, 2016 Further to my 2015 post, the architects (pause so I don't say anything rude) for the refurbishment, still think that it will be possible to move the model railway. Technically they are right but the problem will be how do you get it back together again. It is known to be the most popular exhibit in the Silk Mill but how will it look when contractors have put a chain saw through it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peach james Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Well, for 9.3 million, I think it should be possible to move it. Unfortunately, the architects probably have spent 9.2 million quid on other tat, instead....leaving it to the "volunteers" to fix the damage afterwards... James Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 As a volunteer (in a very minor part) from some 30+ years ago, I remember how long it has taken to move this layout from the Derby Museum on The Strand to the Industrial Museum and rebuild it. I know it has had a convoluted history since being installed in it's present location but my thoughts on what "architects" ideas for moving it, yet again, are utterly unprintable. I really hope they can leave it where it is and just let it develop. Sincerely, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Miles Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Well, for 9.3 million, I think it should be possible to move it. Unfortunately, the architects probably have spent 9.2 million quid on other tat, instead....leaving it to the "volunteers" to fix the damage afterwards... James In theory anything is possible but I suggest you get someone to let you have a look behind the scenes. The wiring is massively more complex than anything I have ever seen on any other model railway and there are no baseboard joints so it would be a case of chopping through what is there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peach james Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 John, for even a couple of million quid, I would expect that one could hire some of the finest professional model builders for several years to "remake" the model. But, knowing how this sort of job goes, instead, the money will be spent on "consultants", and "experts", who will not do a good job of much of anything. A 16 million quid (~30 million Canadian) museum should be very nice. Unfortunately, just like at Ontario Science Centre, or other museums like it that i have been to, it seems like there is less interest in technologically obsolete items. (I can imagine the next round of "refurbishment" at OSC will involve Gertrude (the sectioned Hunslet Quarry loco) getting the boot into the non display items, similar to the Otto engine (which was sold !), foundry, big stationary engine, ships propellor, models in glass cases did at some point over the last 20 years). While some change is always good, change for no good reason is not good... James Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 46444 Posted April 20, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 20, 2016 (edited) .......will involve Gertrude (the sectioned Hunslet Quarry loco) getting the boot into the non display items.... James I do believe there have been requests to repatriate this loco in the past and restore it to working order once more. Here she is at work in this video: http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-slate-quarrying-1946/ About 6 minutes Edited April 20, 2016 by 46444 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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