'Locomotion' the original locomotive

Basher · 30 Jan 2020

There appears to be a dispute arising of where the original 'Locomotion' should go to. Currently it is in Darlington and it is proposed to move it to Shildon Locomotion, as a result Darlington are upset. This got me thinking that the person/organisation that owns Locomotion would have the finial say.
Any one out there know who actual owns it.

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SteveM70 · 30 Jan 2020

I’ve always presumed the NRM owned it. Would be strange if they didn’t

trebor79 · 30 Jan 2020

Can see why Darlington are upset. It's a cracking museum at North Road. Last went about 25 years ago, I remember being astonished that the actual, original locomotion was there the first time I went.

EbbwJunction1 · 30 Jan 2020

I went to "Head of Steam - Darlington Railway Museum" (as it's now called) a few months ago, and I thought that it was very good.

I do indeed understand that the museum are a little bit miffed. However, it is in the National Collection, and that means, I guess that the NRM can say where it goes to. I suppose that they're also concerned that "their" other three locos (S&D No. 25 "Derwent", NER No. 1463 and NER No. 901) could also be removed at some time, as they're all in the National Collection as well.

Mind you, if they did want to move No. 1, they'd have to move (I think) all the others first, which I doubt would be very easy, as there's not much room for manoeuvre!

That said, I think they ought to leave it where it is - Shildon's got enough, and their collection changes regularly.

Merthyr Imp · 30 Jan 2020

trebor79 said:
Can see why Darlington are upset. It's a cracking museum at North Road. Last went about 25 years ago, I remember being astonished that the actual, original Locomotion was there the first time I went.

It stood on the platform at the main Darlington station for many years (along with 'Derwent'). I photographed it in the mid-1970s:

Taunton · 31 Jan 2020

On Darlington station a couple of years later, and for a long while afterwards, I recall noticing the scars and patches in the platform asphalt where these two had once been. Were they not taken away for the 1975 S&D Gala and never came back? I only saw them in place once. A Met-Cam dmu (you can just see one in the photo) from Middlesbrough entered the bay platform they lay across the end of at quite a lick, I recall thinking what a loss it would be if it went through the buffers - though the MetCam would undoubtedly come off worst.

Merthyr Imp · 31 Jan 2020

Locomotion and Derwent were moved to the newly-opened museum at North Road in 1975 about a month after the Rail 150 gala event. I don't know if they were present there as static exhibits (the Locomotion replica took part in the cavalcade).

CarltonA · 1 Feb 2020

It seems this matter has drawn attention from the BBC. The NRM were saying that the loco would be better placed in Shildon as that was where the loco had set off on it's first journey. A Darlington council spokesperson has pointed out that it was actually Heighington which is closer to Darlo.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/england/tees
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-51342088

Journeyman · 2 Feb 2020

trebor79 said:
Can see why Darlington are upset. It's a cracking museum at North Road. Last went about 25 years ago, I remember being astonished that the actual, original locomotion was there the first time I went.

I didn't even know the Darlington museum existed until I passed it on my way to Shildon a couple of years ago! I dropped in and thought it was fantastic, in contrast to Shildon, which I found rather disappointing.

Darlington tells a coherent story in an engaging way, putting the exhibits in context. Shildon is a random collection of vehicles scattered about with no real effort made to tie everything together into themes.

underbank · 3 Feb 2020

Journeyman said:
Shildon is a random collection of vehicles scattered about with no real effort made to tie everything together into themes.

A bit like York NRM then!

Journeyman · 3 Feb 2020

underbank said:
A bit like York NRM then!

That seems a bit harsh. If you want evidence of how not to do a transport museum, Glasgow's Riverside Museum is the worst offender. That place makes me want to weep.

DarloRich · 3 Feb 2020

This has taken some time to come up here! it is NOT very popular in Darlington to say the least! The council and local media are very angry. The new chinless Tory MP has got involved (I am sure he knows a lot about the subject & the subject of Darlo!) and says, apparently, his top chum Boris is monitoring the situation while the Culture Minister has been asked to intervene.

Journeyman said:
Shildon is a random collection of vehicles scattered about with no real effort made to tie everything together into themes.

Which is what they are now trying to change by, sadly, destroying a rival museum. Both should be working together!

underbank said:
A bit like York NRM then!

sigh.

Journeyman said:
That seems a bit harsh. If you want evidence of how not to do a transport museum, Glasgow's Riverside Museum is the worst offender. That place makes me want to weep.

It is a popular museum. What is the problem?

Journeyman · 3 Feb 2020

Riverside is indeed popular, but it's a chaotic mess compared to its predecessor, and looks like a bomb has gone off in a warehouse.

DarloRich · 3 Feb 2020

Journeyman said:
Riverside is indeed popular, but it's a chaotic mess compared to its predecessor, and looks like a bomb has gone off in a warehouse.

I don't understand your view. it is about 1000000000000 times better as a facility than the old transport museum! For one thing it isnt an ancient dark hall tucked away. Everything seems well set out and explained with some exhibits shown in a modern and exciting style.

43096 · 4 Feb 2020

DarloRich said:
This has taken some time to come up here! it is NOT very popular in Darlington to say the least! The council and local media are very angry. The new chinless Tory MP has got involved (I am sure he knows a lot about the subject & the subject of Darlo!) and says, apparently, his top chum Boris is monitoring the situation while the Culture Minister has been asked to intervene.

It’s really simple: if you have got something on loan from a museum it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise if they ask for it back at some stage.

DarloRich · 4 Feb 2020

43096 said:
It’s really simple: if you have got something on loan from a museum it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise if they ask for it back at some stage.

Absolutely - that has been missed by all of the commentators in the local media.

However the new Tory mp is very keen to make a mark and score on some local issues as he promised to do in the campaign

Meole · 5 Feb 2020

43096 said:
It’s really simple: if you have got something on loan from a museum it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise if they ask for it back at some stage.

Which museum do you believe that it is on loan from ?
Never exhibited in Shildon, been in Darlington since restoration was completed in 1857, the cost for which was paid for locally.
It is part of the national collection as a result of nationalisation being successively owned by S & D, NER, LNER, BR.
The anger is understandable many of us will recall seeing it at Bank Top when travelling through.

DarloRich · 5 Feb 2020

Meole said:
Which museum do you believe that it is on loan from ?
Never exhibited in Shildon, been in Darlington since restoration was completed in 1857, the cost for which was paid for locally.
It is part of the national collection as a result of nationalisation being successively owned by S & D, NER, LNER, BR.
The anger is understandable many of us will recall seeing it at Bank Top when travelling through.

It is part of the National Collection curated by the Science Museum Group of which the NRM is part. It is on loan from them. How it came to be in the national collection is convoluted (and not important) but Locomotion is, rightly, part of that collection. The SMG ( and NRM by extension) can do as they please with their collection.

My (worthless) personal view is that Locomotion should stay in Darlington. But then I am biased.................

( IRC NRM Shildon only came under complete SMG control in 2017. It was previously partly under the control of the local council and partly SMG)

Meole · 5 Feb 2020

How many exhibits owned by the NRM have never actually been in their custody ? is this a unique example ?

'Locomotion' the original locomotive

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