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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2009 20:59:21 GMT
I was reading Rail Magazine today and was quite surprised to see that the project at North Woolwich to provide a 'mobile museum' has collapsed. Newham council have thus closed the Museum through failing to revive falling visitor numbers.
I am saddened by this, as it was a wonderful place, quiet and a little difficult to get to, which was untimately its reason. If anyone is aware of where the artefacts are heading, I'd be glad to know. I've also penned an email to Newham asking about this.
I'll cycle out there in the coming week and see whats going on.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2009 21:10:14 GMT
last time I was at north woolwich last year it really was in a state, theve taken all the stuff from outside away and gated a bit of the oustide off and no one was there
infact the whole of north woolwich seems more decrepid these days
that mobile thing might have been a bit to costly at this time
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2009 21:28:13 GMT
The idea of the mobile museum was to take over the trackbed, [which had been reportedly safegaurded] as far as Silvertown, if not Custom House. From photos I have seen on Geograph and elsewhere, the Albert Dock tunnel at Silvertown has become a dumping ground for rubbish. Curiously the former 'Third Rail' has been removed and signals are still there, but disconnected.
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DWS
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Post by DWS on Feb 25, 2009 21:31:02 GMT
The Museum only used to open from April to September at the weekends, been a few years since I was last there.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2009 21:38:17 GMT
I went there shortly before the line closed, even then I was in the museum looking round for a good couple of hours, only saw four other people.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2009 19:27:14 GMT
Newham council have thus closed the Museum through failing to revive falling visitor numbers. I feared this would happen once the silverlink line to North Woolwich closed.  |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2009 0:40:23 GMT
The museum is indeed closed. I had a looksee through the window and there is just a stepladder and a yellow box of Dewalt tools in the former booking hall. All the former Great Eastern enamel signs have gone. Given it's close proximity to King George V on the DLR and being on a bus route [473]. as an aside I was here after taking the DLR to Woolwich Arsenal, walking through the foot tunnel, with antiquated lifts either end, and then a further walk to Pontoon Dock DLR. Silvertown looks very derelict, but there are reminders of the former dock railways every so often set into the cobbled pavements.
I would quite like to know what has become of all those exhibits. It wouldn't surprise me if a few ended up at the Chappel & Wakes Colne Railway.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2009 9:35:49 GMT
This museum has been under threat of closure for years and now it's happened let us all hope that the artefacts have gone to good homes.
10 or so years ago I got wind that LB Newham Museum Services were disposing of unwanted items of rolling stock stored on land nearby, 1 R Stock and a GER Wooden bodied carriage (badly fire damaged) also stored in another part of Newham was the original Lever Frame from Ongar Signal Box.
On behalf of a third party the R Stock was saved, GER Coach went to LTM and the Lever Frame is in the posession of Cravens (CHTL). The Lever Frame along with the old GER footbridge from South Woodford are in secure storage.
No items from the Museum can be disposed of unless agreed by a full Council Meeting and then only to recognised bodies and not for individual gain or profit, well, that's how it was then.
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Post by maxtube on Mar 1, 2009 9:38:02 GMT
I hope someone preserved the LT stuff. As far as I know there was a (some?) car(s) of R Stock or Q Stock.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2009 9:51:17 GMT
The R Stock from Newham initialy went to Mangapps but was in such poor condition that John Jolly threw fifty fits and made the new owner move it, I think it ended up at the Pump House.
Unfortuanately I'm not now in a position to do anything about saving and displaying any artefacts from Woolwich. In the grand scheme of things, Epping Cabin would be ideal for a display but that project has come to a grinding halt for the time being, maybe when I return to the UK we can get Epping Signal Cabin back on track and persue the original intention of opening a Museum there.
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