Re: AC16 to be restored

[nldoncas@cobweb.com.au (Nic Doncaster)]

pcc@ocean.com.au (Leslie Brown) writes:
> 
rwilke@can.i.have.the.spam.ham.bacon.egg.sausage.and.spam.without.the.spam..spam
..or..spam..au
> (Roy Wilke) wrote in aus.rail:
> 
> >On Thu, 11 Sep 1997 08:58:38 GMT, gwatkins@globec.com.au (Graham
> >Watkins) wrote:
> 
> >, is the only way an exhibit should be preserved. If it ain't moving, it's 
rusting.
> 
> Les Brown.
> 
Its an interesting theory (though a little flawed. if its steel, it rusts 
whether moving or not)

	I had a long chat with blokes at the NRM at York (who, it was suggested have 
most of their more modern exhibits in a state that they can be steamed) on this 
line.

It raises the ? of a "Grampas axe"; twenty heads and fifteen handles later it 
still "as good as new".

Certainly a museum should have an exmaple or two of what an engine is like in 
steam or running, but for the average show without lots of Govt support, the 
likes of Redbank mearly becomes a pipe dream Even the railways attempting to 
operate on a more commercial level cannot afford to steam all and sundry all of 
the time.

But thats away from the issue here.

The York theory was that to run all their engines regularly would mean that 
eventually, they will need major repairs (first example of this in SA in PRR and 
one of thier W's with a dicky boiler) and/or refurbishments (Sorry PRR, a la 
T186). the point will come where the only original bit is the builders plate!

So, the ? of "preservation".(won't reach for the book for some wanky definition)
does it  mean that operation is in contrast to keeping the object in its 
original form (a la K1 in Wales).

The problem for most museums is that an operating exhibit will chew the $$$$ and 
person power, may set up petty  power games and groups, and so forth, all the 
time drawing away from static displays.

The new problem for both static and operating societies is the RSA shit.

Its a hard ? to make a clear point on.But worthy to think about.

Feel free to flame me.


Nic