24 Hour Museum - official guide to UK museums, galleries, exhibitions and heritage
Gateway to Over 3,000 UK museums, galleries and heritage attractions
Skip to navigation
Volunteers Needed To Run Historic Manchester Museum Steam Engine
By 24 Hour Museum Staff
30/04/2008
Image: a photo of two men polishing an old steam engine
Volunteers at MOSI give Planet some tlc. © Chris Foster / Museum of Science and Industry
Big or small most of the UK’s rail and engineering collections rely on an enthusiastic band of volunteers to avidly - and lovingly - keep our historic steam engines steaming and running along the tracks.
Now one of the biggest collections of engineering history in the UK, the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) in Manchester, is putting out the call for volunteers to help keep one of its prize possessions on the tracks.
Volunteers are needed to work on Planet, the Museum’s replica 1830 steam locomotive, on the historic site where the first passenger steam trains once travelled. MOSI’s Planet-hauled train rides during school holidays and weekends are one of the most popular activities at the Museum, and they are entirely staffed by volunteers.
Image: a photo of a man kneeling on the top an old steam engine giving it a good polish
© Chris Foster / Museum of Science and Industry
“The Planet train rides are one of our most popular activities here at the Museum but they are very labour intensive, and we often struggle to get the staff to operate them,” said Matthew Jackson, railway officer at MOSI.
“If there’s anyone in the Greater Manchester area who has an interest in trains and would like to get involved with running and maintaining Planet or other stock we would love to hear from them.”
For the railway enthusiast with a little time to spare, the opportunity to work at MOSI should be a golden one. The museum is housed in the original buildings of Liverpool Road station, which was part of the world’s first passenger railway - the Liverpool & Manchester Railway - built in 1830. It is the oldest surviving passenger railway station in the world.
Planet was originally designed by George Stephenson and it operated on the Liverpool & Manchester railway from 1830 to 1840. It was a successor to the Rocket locomotive, which won the 1829 Rainhill trials to determine which locomotive design would run on the railway.
Image: a photo of a man polishing the planet placard on the planet steam engine
© Chris Foster / Museum of Science and Industry
As well as working on Planet, volunteers will be able to work to repair and maintain other rolling stock in the Museum’s collection.
“Apart from enthusiasm there isn’t a particular qualification that you need, as those people who are selected will receive full training,” added Matthew.
If you would like to find out more about working as a railway volunteer, or about other volunteering opportunities at MOSI, call the recruitment line on 0161 606 0105 stating the reference ‘railway volunteers’ or email: m.jackson@mosi.org.uk
Museum of Science & Industry
Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester, M3 4FP, Greater Manchester, England
T: 0161 832 2244
Open: Open daily 10.00-17.00
Closed: Closed 24-26 December and 1 January
Related Articles
News In Brief - Week Ending May 4 2008
News In Brief - Week Ending April 20 2008
Dr Who Tardis Travels From Manchester Museum To Local School
News In Brief - Week Ending March 23 2008
News In Brief - Week Ending March 16 2008
Museum In Manchester Makes Terracotta Army In Memory Of Slaves
News In Brief - Week Ending February 3 2008
E-news registration
E-mail story to a friend
Tell us what you think
English Heritage And Heritage Lottery Fund Give £6.8m To Churches
News In Brief - Museums, Galleries And Heritage News
Anish Kapoor Opens London's New 'Gallery Without Walls'
National Trust Asks Public To Raise £6m For Seaton Delaval Hall
Poet Laureate Andrew Motion Is Appointed As The New Chair Of MLA
Andy Burnham Announces Free Entry For Three Liverpool Museums
NPG And Harris Museum Combine To Acquire Arkwright Portrait
Secrets Of Edinburgh's Historic Riddle's Court To Be Revealed
Stonehenge - Public Consultation Begins In Mid-July
Llanelly House Restoration Leads To Jobs And Regeneration
Sprinters Race Through Gallery In Name Of Art At Tate Britain
A4s To Join Record Breaking Mallard At National Railway Museum
West Bromwich's Public Gallery Opens To The Public At Last
Margaret Hodge And Boris Johnson Mark Power Transfer At Museum Of London
Ikon Gallery Chosen To Take Art To Children Of Birmingham
Exciting Plans And New Acquisitions For Norwich Castle Museum
Southampton's Solent Sky Museum On Flight Path To New Home
Their Past Your Future - Salford Museums Project Highlights Refugee Heritage
Search this site
Home Page
News Page
Exhibition Page
What's On
Trails Page
Website of the Week
Letters Page
Welsh Home
Graphical Version
Copyright © 24 Hour Museum
Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.