Car 16 (86 Green prototype)

[Chris W]

Ladies/Gents

Since the last Acton LT Museum open day I have heard rumours from a couple of members re the of the imminent scrapping of 86 green prototype car 16. I therefore approached the LT museum for confirmation. I have now had a reply:

"The Museum was strongly advised by various parties in the mid 1990s to take an example of the prototype 1986 stock before it all went for scrap. Car 16 was added to the collection at a time when our collecting policy discouraged prototypes and experimental vehicles and consequently it was only seen as a stop gap to represent a new generation of rolling stock until an example of 1992 stock became available. As the rail storage shed at Acton is close to saturation the future of rail collecting is due for review.

Museums generally have a predisposition against disposals and the actual process of removing an item from any museum collection can be quite long and involves taking opinions from other museums and various advisers before a recommendation to dispose becomes reality.

If car 16 (or any other object) was recommended by the Museum to be no longer required we would follow established guidelines for the disposal process. Disposal does not by definition mean destruction but is the last resort if no other museum, similar institution or individual wants the item in question."

IMO reading between the lines & summarising the above, the LT Museum is aware that there is a space issue re saved/preserved rail vehicles and the time is fast approaching when they will need to make painful decisions regarding what exhibits they should keep or otherwise dispose of. Also from the above quotation, no final decision has been made yet regarding car 16 or any other vehicle in the LT Museum rail collection and that the scrapping of any stock would only be the regrettable outcome if no other museum/individual etc. were willing to take on the responsibility of ownership.

I hope that is of assistance for those that are interested.

Regards

Christopher

[Deleted]

Indeed, it would be sad news if this prototype car were to ultimately, go for scrap. But I am sure someone would save it, if only it meant ending up in a garden.

[compsci]

I've just remembered this coming up in conversation with the depot manager. The vehicle most likely to be removed from the depot first is the crossrail mock up, which isn't even a proper rail vehicle in the first place, or especially related to the museum's remit. It was used as an education centre for a few years, but has been superseded in this role by the large portacabin in the yard. Given that the rolling stock which is ultimately selected for crossrail (assuming that it even happens) will probably look nothing like the mock up, the museum may even be obliged to dispose of it. I believe that it was somewhat forced upon them in the first case.

There is similar controversy regarding the possible acquisition of a fuel cell bus, which won't come with the fuel cell, and will hence just be pretty much the shell of a conventional bus with no engine. Given that every other bus in the collection excepting the chassis is capable of running under its own power (even the trolleybus), the museum doesn't want to be lumbered with a bus shaped brick.

[edb]

I know this sounds silly, but there will come a time when more space will have to be found. I'll be honest i was amazed when i first went and saw how small the place was.

Perhaps some of the buses could be moved to another site, at least they don't need rails. Acton is more synonymous with the tube rather than buses (this is my opinion, please correct me if wrong.)

Or someone will need to bibte the bullet and get the place expanded, or moved. How about a site on the other side of the network? have it split in half.

[suncloud]

Where were you thinking? To have a useful rail link it'd probably have to been on the District.

Or alternatively what's happening with New Cross depot post-ELLX?

[Deleted]

It's a shame that the large brownfield site south of Chiswick Park was taken over by developers - given the reasonably good roads in the area, TfL could have built an annex of the LTM at the site and put all of the buses in there.

[trainopd78]

That would have been a great idea as long as it could have been linked to Acton Works for rail access.

Is the removal of the crossrail mockup car the reason why everything that was on that road is currently out in the open?

[edb]

suncloud said:

Where were you thinking? To have a useful rail link it'd probably have to been on the District.

Or alternatively what's happening with New Cross depot post-ELLX?

Not really thinking about anywhere in particular. Just adding an interesting point to the mix.

As a "Short term" measure why not add a cover to the open roads out the back of the depot, gor the newer stock perhaps. But honestly the way in which "we" would like things restored. You need a large Depot with space for 3/4 car units to be stored in a use able size. a single Car is no use if we want to see it running.

[Deleted]

cjw said:

"... The Museum was strongly advised by various parties in the mid 1990s to take an example of the prototype 1986 stock before it all went for scrap. Car 16 was added to the collection at a time when our collecting policy discouraged prototypes and experimental vehicles and consequently it was only seen as a stop gap to represent a new generation of rolling stock until an example of 1992 stock became available. ..."

Is that why no example of 1956 was saved as it was a prototype?

Maybe car 16 will end up like 84001 at the NRM. It too was saved as a stopgap measure until a later class of locomotive could be secured. Now it is part of the national collection.

[Deleted]

the lt museum are in my veiw taking the wrong turning car 16 should stay there