How we look after the collection

One of our main aims is to care for the Museum Collection and to make it accessible.  This presents quite a challenge, as the objects come in all shapes and sizes, and range from delicate china tea services to working steam locomotives, from watercolours to a railway bridge. 

Storing

For most objects the first task is to store or display them in the right conditions, where they are free from pests or accidental damage and where the temperature and relative humidity are kept stable. The Search Engine stores, for instance, meet high standards for the care of archives, photographic and art collections.

Displaying and repairing

Sometimes we have to conserve objects to ensure that they can stand up to the rigours of display or use. For example, our conservators often carry out repairs, reinforce weakened areas, apply protective surface coatings, or remove hazardous materials.

Display can bring its own problems, as objects fade when exposed to light and suffer wear and tear from contact with visitors. We therefore have to carry out regular monitoring and repairs, and have an ongoing conservation programme for items on display. We also digitise vulnerable items, such as glass plate negatives, to reduce the need to handle the originals.

Working objects, like steam locomotives, need different standards of care. Sometimes we have to replace worn components to meet the strict standards for operating on the main line network, but we always keep the originals.

When we carry out conservation, we work to ethical standards and wherever possible try to make any treatments reversible. We learn from the experiences of other museums and conservation specialists, and carry out our own research and experiments. We also keep records so that people in the future will know what work we have undertaken, and we will be showcasing some of our conservation projects on this website.