[Christoph Heuer]

Hello everyone,

I know that in the strictest sense as administrator and moderator I should moderate the forum. This time I try to provoke a bit, but do not worry, I will not push it too far.

Fortunately we do not have long rows of rusting and partly dismantled locos, decaying coaches and rotting wagons all too common on preserved or tourist railways. Even so there are some ugly spots we probably have all become too used to. So here comes the question:

Which are your top three ugliest spots at the museum?

I have to admit that one of my "favourites" was rectified by Tony Wilks last year: The railings around Poplar House. Still, I have a bit left:

No. 3: The sign at the back of the Eagle Press with the paint peeling off
No. 2: The dead plants in the baskets in front of the stone workshop
No. 1: The all-time favourite: The stacks of railings, rails and pointwork alongside the track between Bandstand and Cabin crossing

What do you think?

Regards

Christoph

[Andrew 7]

Well, the rusting trackwork etc. piled up at Cliffside is the obvious one, I'd imagine that would be most people's first choice. Do you mean the 'Cars Running Today' board with your #3? That looks pretty tatty as well, it could do with a lick of paint for sure!

I'd like to make a controversial suggestion here: Paisley 68's paintwork. The gold leaf has been peeling off for ages, soon the fleet numbers will vanish altogether at this rate, and the lower cream paintwork looks pretty awful too. I actually think that the tram shouldn't be running in this state, OK I've seen worse, but for a museum that is so proud of the condition of its trams, 68 looks pretty bad!

[Christoph Heuer]

No, I meant the one round the corner of that on the small set of railings. I think it once said "Do not cross here".

Personally, I do not mind cars showing that they have been used. It looks much more like an authentic representation which is fully in line with the current thinking in the museum world. And I was talking about infrastructure anyway, not tramcars. I might include the white and blue pickup-van which is ever so prominent on the depot fan, though.

Kind regards

Christoph