they are the ones the real people want to see. They don't care about Westerns or D200. They might care about an HST.
You're absolutely correct.
You see it more easily in an equivalent situation. Airshows
At big airshows, every year, it's the red arrows that get the most attention.
Are they rare? No, they are one of a number of Hawk teams, and one of the most easily seen display teams in the UK
Are they likely to be impactful on day to day lives? No, the role demos are showing that more than formation aerobatics.
Are they appealing to enthusiasts? No, they are a convenient break for a drink for a lot.
But the reality is, icons draw the crowds in whatever situation.
Do you go to car museum to see a Ford GT40 or Ford Mondeo?
You cannot both say "the people the NRM need to attract don't care about diesels" and "a Deltic is as much a museum piece as FS and would be something out of the ordinary for most 21st century people". They fundamentally contradict each other.
No it doesn't.
He isn't saying no diesels at all, he is saying not a major focus. He specifically mentioned there should be some, relevant to the overall major history of railways. Which is correct.
Museum , a building where items of historical significance are displayed. Who took it on themselves to totally change the ethos of the NRM?. Take your stem to another venue , it is important but does not need shoehorning into our important collections ( RAF Cosford another victim of this). Seeing comments on here about what belongs and what doesn't based on what you liked as kids , really? . This is about preserving our railway heritage , warts and all , and it's all being sacrificed to attract the tik tok generation, god help us.
Not in the modern world of funding they aren't.
They are competing for discretionary time and spend against entertainment attractions.
Museums that don't focus on visitor numbers and revenue generation shut. That is simple economic reality. Even the big London museums have to sacrifice to a degree.
Preservation costs, and unless you find ways to generate money, it doesn't happen, and for a museum that means footfall of the public not just enthusiasts.
There is no point being idealistic, it's cold economic reality