Thursford Collection Founders Day 2010

[Steam Scenes]

I think the likelihood of the Thursford selling engines in the yard is reduced now that they are charging extra for behind the scenes tours. There has got to be something in the yard to show the punters!

[SDSPS]

They could continue with the behind the scenes tour by showing the big shed & the workshop across the road with the convertible in as they currently do.

At the minute people are seeing sheeted engines in the yard so it makes no real difference if they're there or not, you still can't see them properly

[Wallace]

There is a huge difference in cost between buying and restoring an engine. i have no doubt that Mr Cushing and probably the current management would love to see the collection in steam but restoring dozens of engines is probably beyond the museum financially as it is with many independent owners. the only people who are able to restore engines at any speed are those owners who are fortunate to be able to write the restorations off against a business or have a wonderfully healthy bank account. It is not our place to comment on what they choose to do with their toys. if i had been around in the 50's and 60's and had the money i too would have collected as many engines as possible; and those engines would probably be in a similar condition to many of those at thursford. money talks and more people visit Thursford to see and hear the organs and the dancing than the engines, it is a sad truth of economics.

Such is life..... and yes i would love to see the engines in steam, or have the opportunity to buy one to restore, but thats the game isnt it!

Arent opinions great!!

Danny

[Savedfromscrap]

We all have the same problem, i'm guessing most on tt have projects we know we will never get round to but hang on to them for the sake of it. I've just tried to break that trend by flogging some old workshop machinery and stationary engines to help fund repairs on other projects, and i'm glad I did as the place is less cluttered and i had some pennies to spend on other things. You don't miss them when they're gone. What really is the point in having things lying around that you can't afford to repair? I'd rather flog them and use the money to repair the other clutter so at least I can enjoy it. Still it's nice to know there are still some unrestored engines out there as it is a nice link to the dawn of this strange hobby, one day we may still see the pleasure of an engine in steam making its first ever appearance at a rally.

Ryan

[UJ2225]

Originally Posted by Wallace

There is a huge difference in cost between buying and restoring an engine. i have no doubt that Mr Cushing and probably the current management would love to see the collection in steam but restoring dozens of engines is probably beyond the museum financially as it is with many independent owners. the only people who are able to restore engines at any speed are those owners who are fortunate to be able to write the restorations off against a business or have a wonderfully healthy bank account. It is not our place to comment on what they choose to do with their toys. if i had been around in the 50's and 60's and had the money i too would have collected as many engines as possible; and those engines would probably be in a similar condition to many of those at thursford. money talks and more people visit Thursford to see and hear the organs and the dancing than the engines, it is a sad truth of economics.

Such is life..... and yes i would love to see the engines in steam, or have the opportunity to buy one to restore, but thats the game isnt it!

Arent opinions great!!

Danny

Mr Cushing always makes it quite clear that is has no interest or wish to see any of the road engines in steam and also says he doubts if they will ever steam again.

Fair do"s there his engines so he can do as he wishes just like us folk lucky enough to own an engine.

Jim S

[steamfly3535]

I personly think that steam is almost a sideline at Thursford, they run some amazing christmas shows that are normally well over subscribed, and must generate much more income from that short season than they do from opening durring the summer for a handfull of enthusiasts and the odd passing member of the public. Hence I suspect the lack of interest in restoring the engines, there would be little point, they would take up room that is used for the xmas shows.... That is only my opinion and I really don't want to enrage anyone with it.

If you have kids take em to the "walk through" christmas show it's really good my son loved it nearly as much as I did! The other show seems to appeal to the "Older Generation" to be polite.

[8_10 Brass Cleaner]

Originally Posted by Mine Explorer

Oh, you mean like <<this>>
...excepting for a moment the fact that it's at Universal Studios, not Disney - but it's the same idea!


Of course I still mourn the passing of the old Birmingham Science & Industry Museum .
If I had a spare hour for lunch whilst at Uni I'd pop over there to make use of the cafe and stand and watch the stationary engines ticking over on a Wednesday.

From what I understand the "Think Tank" (so called) replacement turned all 'hands on' , 'touchy feely' , 'interpretted for the kiddies', and lost half the displays in the process. I couldn't (and still can't) bring myself to go and visit - better to keep happy memories of the old museum, now departed .

Ian, the thinktank thoroughly impressed me, the interesting stuff is still there. I;ve seen loads of Burrell tractors and aveling rollers to live without them.

You can stand under an Austin 10 and see how badly restored it was, also see the poor excuse for stay replacement on the Portable. Dorothea?.

Anyways you can walk all the way round Mr Snodins Foden, I even crawled underneath to the suprise of the 'explainer' who knew less about it than me.

The best bit at the Thinktank is, that if your mean or a yorkshireman (or both), you can look at it through the window for free.

[Dazzla]

Well I think Mr Cushing should sell some of the engines. It's selfish of him to keep them and stop them being converted ......

Dazzla

[Mine Explorer]

Originally Posted by 8_10 Brass Cleaner

Ian, the thinktank thoroughly impressed me, the interesting stuff is still there. I;ve seen loads of Burrell tractors and aveling rollers to live without them...

Perhaps I will one day, but I suspect I'll still hold fond memories of the old Science museum. I was led to believe the number of stationary engines running on display was much reduced, and hearing the comments of one or two other people after it first opened didn't really inspire me.

Another 'benefit' of the old museum was admission by donation, I could pop in just to go to the cafe without having to pay the 'Thinktank' £11.75 admission for the whole lot. Perhaps I have Yorkshire tendancies, but I suspect they had more money out of me on sticky buns every couple of weeks than if there was an admission charge which I'd probably have paid once to look round and then not return.

One place well worth a visit is the Jewellery Quarter Museum, - at least it was 10 years ago when I went. I see it has free admission these days, but even when there was an admission charge it was excellent value for money.

[Dickymint]

A final post? A few years ago before George Cushing died i had a long chat with him and he showed me around his yard behind the scenes, He was a real gentleman. During the conversation he actually told me he was sad that the engines were never steamed anymore. He also said had he realised that this would be the case he would only have done a cosmetic job on those that he had restored and saved a lot of hard work and money .
With all that said I guess that we have to accept his sons decision not to restore the remaining "unrestored" engines and dream that one day, just maybe !!!! Sigh !