Curatorial Corner - 28th July 2011

New home for Photographic Collection



Upgraded Storage System
(System Stores Solutions Ltd)

The photographic collection at STEAM is one of our fastest growing collections.  At present we have over 40,000 prints, together with 1000s of slides, negatives and glass plates.  The images range from industrial scenes to locomotives and from official staff portraits to architecture.  It is a fascinating cross section illustrating the history of the Great Western Railway.

The photographic collection is housed in our archive and thanks to a generous grant from The Friends of Swindon Railway Museum the original storage system has been upgraded to allow the storage of another 20,000-30,000 photographs.

The Museum gets donated photographs almost every month and it is thanks to a dedicated team of volunteers that they get sorted, catalogued and filed.  It has taken 10 years to catalogue 40,000 photographs, and there are many years of work still ahead!

Our photographic collection can be viewed by appointment at the Museum, or you can access the collection online at http://www.steampicturelibrary.com/  Some of our amazing images can be seen below.




Evening Star, 1960



Women making nets in Swindon Works, c1930s



Sir Daniel Gooch



Events Diary - Railway Festival Update

Swindon Railway Festival 10th - 11th September

Ian Surtees, Commercial Manager, gives a further update on the forthcoming Railway Festival.



Swindon Works Tunnel Entrance in the 1930s



With nine weeks to go before the Swindon Railway Festival the Museum is just putting together the finishing touches to this years show.

To coincide with the 25^th anniversary of the Swindon Works closure – STEAM are launching two new exclusive models at this year’s festival. Working with model specialists Dapol, we can confirm a limited edition run of the legendary Swindon designed and built Western Class ‘D1000 Western Enterprise’ will be available for pre-order at the show. This exciting news follows the recent announcement that STEAM have joined forces with market leader Bachmann to produce a low relief 00 gauge model of the Swindon Works tunnel entrance.  The tunnel is one of the most iconic features of Swindon Works and will be a great addition to any industrial model railway layout.  The new model will available to purchase at the Festival.

The following traders and exhibitors have already confirmed they’ll be at this year’s show and more traders are expected to follow soon.

• Hornby Magazine
• Picture Pride Displays
• Squires Model & Craft Tools
• Just Like The Real Thing
• Hornby Hobbies
• Bachmann Europe
• Oakwood Press and Visuals
• Kernow Model Rail Centre
• The Signal Box
• Severn Valley Railway
• 6024 Preservation Society
• 6880 Betton Grange Society
• Friends of the Swindon Railway Museum

Confirmed Layouts

7mm (O Gauge)

East Wheal Dream

Knockley Gate

Dainton Bank

Happisburgh Goods

East Midlands Test Track (to showcase models)

4mm (OO Gauge)

Mythur Riverside

Llanryglyn – Cambrian period railway

West Cliffe

Cwmderi

Yardlea

  

S Scale

Kilbrandon

Aston Magna

2mm Fine Scale (N Gauge)

Highbury Colliery

Polpendra

There will also be lots of demonstations taking place over the weekend, includings demos in soldering, locomotive building, painting and wagon building.  And as confimed in April's Blog we will also be joined by Stanley Steam Cars, Box Steam Brewery, Hatch Steam Heritage and Roy Nash photography.

Prices for this year’s show will be held at the 2010 rates, but following demand we’ll be issuing weekender tickets for visitors wishing to join us for the whole weekend.

Admission: £8.50 for adults; Seniors and Concessions £5.50; Family tickets £24.00 (two adults, two children) and £27.00 (two adults, three children), Weekender Tickets: Adults £12.00, Seniors and Concessions £8.50. Under three go free. Swindon Card discounts available

View our previous Blog at http://steammuseum.blogspot.com/2011/04/events-diary-railway-festival-update.html