Heritage attraction shops - donations

[Mojo]

Having a clear out and have come across a few VHS tapes, mostly drivers eye view but also a few other railway publications. Most normal charity shops don’t take video tapes anymore but does anyone know if Heritage railways or other attractions accept these as donations for their shops and stalls, given the specialist interest?

 

[AJM580]

It would be worth contacting your local steam railway, as most funds raised by the sale would go to a restoration project on said railway. I would use social media to find your local preservation group, then go from there.

 

[Mojo]

It would be worth contacting your local steam railway, as most funds raised by the sale would go to a restoration project on said railway. I would use social media to find your local preservation group, then go from there.

Yes I was going to do exactly this; most Heritage railways I’ve been to seem to have an area usually by the depot where they sell donations like magazines etc. I was only asking because no normal charity shops seem to take VHSs any more because there’s no market for them, so I was wondering if it’s worth bothering to take them to Heritage attractions. I was thinking because as they are railway related videos they might be able to flog them.

 

[xotGD]

You could try selling them on Ebay and then donate any profits to a preservation group.

 

[swanhill41]

The issue is that no one bar a few diehards are into VHS...Its prehistoric and cumbersome and poor quality in comparison to recent very good quality recording methodology....Rather like rail books published 40 years ago,ie the 1980's are no longer saleable either....Whether a charity shop,who largely are a waste of space for most things and the heritage shops,all need items that sell relatively easily...If hard to sell won't waste space putting it out...That's the hard truth...I sell rail books online so that's how I know about the books,but also have knowledge of DVD/VHS etc.....So all the best.

 

[Mojo]

You could try selling them on Ebay and then donate any profits to a preservation group.

If Charity shops don’t accept video tapes, nobody would buy it on eBay!

I was hoping to find out if it’s worth my while giving them to a Heritage attraction, but sounds as if nobody knows, so I might just try, and if not then they’ll have to be burned by the local authorities!

 

[MichaelWells]

The Railway may still take them for when Photocharters are on and quick black smoke is needed for the photographers.

 

[Flying Phil]

I'm sure that I have recently seen VHS tapes for sale at Loughborough Station shop (The Emporium), I presume they have been donated.

 

[Spike Bank]

I'm sure that I have recently seen VHS tapes for sale at Loughborough Station shop (The Emporium), I presume they have been donated.

Yes, the Emporium at Loughborough Central still deals with VHS tapes...

 

[Rockhopper]

Charity shops are proper business these days so they only take stuff they know they can sell quickly. VHS tapes are not one of those things! They’ll actually have to spend money to dispose of them!

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I've disposed of VHS tapes to British Heart Foundation shops without a problem.

 

[AnthonyRail]

Having a clear out and have come across a few VHS tapes, mostly drivers eye view but also a few other railway publications. Most normal charity shops don’t take video tapes anymore but does anyone know if Heritage railways or other attractions accept these as donations for their shops and stalls, given the specialist interest?

I purchased a cheap VCR just to be able to play tapes purchased from railway second hand shops but when I went back to purchase the tapes they had all ready been sold as the lady said as she knows me. Doh.

 

[krus_aragon]

Rather like rail books published 40 years ago,ie the 1980's are no longer saleable either....

I wouldn't agree with that: a lot of good railway history books were published in the 70s and 80s by the likes of David & Charles etc. And unlike VHS cassettes, you don't need any special electrical equipment to read them!

 

[D365]

Charity shops are proper business these days so they only take stuff they know they can sell quickly. VHS tapes are not one of those things! They’ll actually have to spend money to dispose of them!

I've disposed of VHS tapes to British Heart Foundation shops without a problem.

Depends on which charity it is, and in what year you tried to donate. I volunteered at an Oxfam bookshop for a number of years (starting from 2012) and I don't believe we were able to recycle tapes at that point. We certainly didn't try selling them, I think the Scope shop next door was able to, but I'm not sure for how long that was.

 

[Meole]

Any SVR gala sees numerous support groups at Bewdley and Kidderminster selling every type of railway book, CD, video, model, you can ever remember in favour of their project.

 

[33117]

Anyone who lives near peterborough could try donating stuff to the travelling post office (TPO) group who are based on the nene valley railway.

They've got quite an extensive shop set up in an old MK1 coach at wansford.