Chappel News 84/ May 84 Editorial and Generation X

 

Chappel News 84  May 2021 EDITORIAL

 

The museum’s  railway is coming back to life after an exceptional year, you will receive separate Mailchimp mailings about operational and event guidance and current Covid notes.

During the lockdown match work has been completed by museum volunteers liaising between themselves using “WhatsApp” a mobile phone application, but not everybody wants to use that method.

This is where CHAPPEL NEWS hopefully comes in – in these notes a summary of some of these threads on social media can be reported  to you in this newsletter. Communications nowadays have different audiences, it is acknowledged that the  written word has its palce in the mix, so here is a digest of some events and items of interest.

Conversations have taken place regarding general communications between the Membership Secretary, Volunteer co-ordinator amd Chappel News reporter and agreed a way forward. It is the last thing we want to do is swamp you with communications or deny news it's a tricky task sometimes to get it about right.

MailChimp is being used by Martin as volunteer coordinator to call people together for work parties or a second wider circulation to all members for more general subjects. Chappel News will report across the whole range of activities within the museum.

 

 

 Progress on the N7 locomotive continues; this photo shows a removed cylinder front cover to allow for inspection of the bore pistons and rings . Further notes have been  taken  from Michael Sanders Facebook postings are re- presented on pages 3&4..

Generation X

 

As we go back into operating mode and opening as a museum,  it is  hoped there may  be a” bow wave” of people wanting to visit a museum on day trips or during staycation holidays. Marketing has re-started to sell the museum, as a venue and possibly a good place to regularly visit.

Our museum has a good selling point as it is such a large open area. Visitors  experience vintage railway journeys, explore museum displays, and then can either eat and drink at Platform Two, or picnic in the event field. These features are published by the museum’s social media Instagram  Facebook postings, and Marketing mailings originated by Neil Temlett in the VRC with Amy and Ross enticing customers to Platform Two Cafe.

Is also fifty years since the first trains ran in 1971, Jack Plumb has produced a suitable headboard and will be proudly displayed this year.  If you consider a family visit back in those days,  a family of Mum Dad and two children visiting, it can be  roughly assumed  parents may have been around aged 30. Today those same parents could be  grandparents, or promoted to great grandparents, maybe  around an age of 80.

Circumstance’s change, our  future visitors may now have children typically  later in life , so if we assume a family visit of four, parents may be around an age of 35 plus . Those parents might be born in mid-1980’s, in generation speak that's known as generation X.

Events at that time included, a Miners strike ending,  EastEnders BBC1 soap opera goes on air, first mobile call is made,  and first version of Windows is launched by Microsoft.  Music genres like punk and techno were being listened to – all  giving an idea of change that has taken place. It reminds us  there is a great change in  people’s experiences when  visiting .

                                      

  Our challenge here is to have new visitors and volunteers from  , as it is a fair to say while actual original steam knowledge is more easily found in Baby Boomers and the Silent generation, new people need to be attracted to our work parties and operating crews. 

Our Volunteer Co-ordinator Martin, has pointed out these are also the people we need to attract to become volunteers at Chappel. Time is limited and skills may not be easier to come by, so an attractive offer has to be devised. 

It could be  the museum becomes  a rewarding hobby away from home,  offering comradeship in shared endeavours. Possibly skills can be developed, a break away from electronic gadgets and games, a chance to be physically active without a gym membership, a place to belong and take on interesting challenges.

Museum membership fees not demanding in monetary terms, so there is no immediate barrier to entry like buying expensive equipment. New volunteers are likely to  be time limited; so, it maybe we have to be more receptive to organising for volunteers. Tools and equipment to be in good condition and in known locations being an example. Photos to identify people will help in recognising regular volunteers, perhaps with  a “Go to “ list who to ask about various subjects. To develop these ideas please come forward with offers of help to do this or add other some suggestions.  

Whatever generation we look at, as a visitor or volunteer, it is a clear requirement to have a good time in  good company, it is hoped the museum can provide both.