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1096
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Sideshoots - associated subjects / Heritage railway lines, Railtours, other rail based attractions / New 'Being Brunel' museum in Bristol to open in 2016 (now Easter 2017)
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on: April 03, 2014, 09:49:50
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New ^7m Brunel museum to 'spread engineer's fame'
By The Bristol Post | Posted: April 03, 2014
A MAJOR new ^7 million museum dedicated to Isambard Kingdom Brunel is being planned for next to the ss Great Britain, it has been revealed. Called Being Brunel, it will be built within the historic Great Western Steamship Company dockyard and will give the public access to the famed engineer's collections for the first time.
It will be run by the ss Great Britain Trust, which aims to bring Brunel's worldwide reputation as a "hero engineer" to life.
It was yesterday announced that the project is in line for ^4.9 million initial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), as well as a development grant of ^176,000.
The grant of ^176,000 will enable the trust to develop a project proposal and submit a second application to the HLF. If that application is successful Being Brunel can go ahead ^ aiming to open to the public in 2016.
An HLF spokeswoman said the plans would see the restoration and completion of an authentic dockyard setting at the ss Great Britain.
A major redevelopment of the derelict buildings that overlook the floating harbour towards Hotwell Road will allow visitors to explore the life and world of the engineer and step back in time inside his original Drawing Office. The development will also form the hub of a National Brunel Network of people, places, institutions and heritage resources around the UK▸ .
Matthew Tanner MBE, chief executive of the ss Great Britain Trust, said: "Visitors will be able to explore Brunel's life and works and then compare their own skills to his, relating his achievements to the modern world. We feel there's no better epicentre than Bristol for this to happen. We aim to inspire the next generation of young scientists and engineers with everything we do at the ss Great Britain Trust. The Being Brunel museum development and national network will do just this."
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1097
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Journey by Journey / Bristol (WECA) Commuters / Re: Four track for Filton Bank - ongoing discussion
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on: March 31, 2014, 12:29:14
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Is this the last final announcement to gladden FTN's heart, or yet another 'cold' dish served lukewarm ? From the BBC» : Bristol rail investment to see tracks reinstated
Reinstating four tracks between Bristol Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads is part of a ^700m investment in the city's railway infrastructure.
Network Rail has announced 31 projects in the city over the next five years including the electrification of the line between Bristol and London.
Doubling the track has been described as "fundamental" to the expansion of services in and around Bristol
"Reinstating the four lines between Temple Meads and Parkway is the arterial route around which the rest of the Bristol growing railway is going to be hung," said Mike Gallop, Network Rail's Route Asset Director.
The new tracks will be built on Filton Bank, making it possible for local passenger services to use the line.
"It's a very significant first step but it is a first step," said Rob Dixon from the campaign group Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways.
"Without this investment there can be no improvements in local services - things like the reopening of the line to Portishead, the Henbury Loop, improvements on the Severn Beach line and from Weston to Yate - which all need extra capacity and without that they just couldn't run. So these changes are a first step to what we want and need to see."
Charlotte Leslie, Conservative MP▸ for Bristol North West, has campaigned for the reopening of the Henbury Loop.
"The four-tracking of Filton Bank is the basic infrastructure which makes other things possible," said Ms Leslie.
"But what I'd like to see is more ambition in getting Henbury station and Henbury Loop and our network of rail around the city open faster because Bristol is growing and our transport infrastructure isn't keeping up."
The package also includes building new platforms at Bristol Parkway and upgrading Bristol Temple Meads station.
Moderator note: Edited to include quote and attribute source. bignosemac |
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1099
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Journey by Journey / Bristol (WECA) Commuters / Re: FGW - New Train Services For Portishead During Next 5 Years
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on: March 26, 2014, 14:13:51
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I hope a level crossing materialises and a station site near Waitrose despite NR» 's well publicised aversion to new crossings. They simply HAVE to be made to see sense on this.
A road tunnel simply does not seem feasible as you are only about 15 ft above se level at the point where the rails cross Quays Avenue. I don't think the motorists should be complaining about the possible closure of the road...the rails were there, long before the Marina was built. It is a lot easier for them to drive 500 yard for their free cups of coffee at Waitrose, than for us non drivers to hoof it out of town for an inconvenient station the other side of Quays Avenue.
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1106
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All across the Great Western territory / Buses and other ways to travel / Re: Letter To Osborne Calls For Funding/Review To Halt Bus Decline
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on: March 14, 2014, 18:54:12
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Trainer has, as always raised some very valid points.
As someone who has never had a car, I think that the main difference between the car and the non car user is one of attitude about how you organise your life. With a car, you can decide what you want to do, where to go, and within reason, just do it. The car means the world is your oyster ( no pun intended!)
Without a car, you always have the question 'is it feasible' nagging in the back of your mind. One late bus, one missed connection and the whole thing can go belly up. You cannot rely on Plan A ...you always have to have a Plan B ...and sometimes C, D, E. The advent of the internet has made travel planning generally that much simpler, but sometimes it doesn't seem that way when confronted by bewildering train fare structures in the UK▸ .
For real challenges with maximum frustration try bus travel out of Rome into the more rural parts of Italy. First you have to locate your bus station which is not as crazy as it sounds. So often the bus station' is just a series of stops merged with the general nose to tail traffic that collects outside a metro station Then find your bus stop... no numbers destinations or timetables of course.Then locate a tabac where they sell bus tickets ..usually at least half a mile away hidden away down a side street. Oh, and Cynthia ...don't even think of taking Echo! I guarantee that once you have experienced COTRAL or SEPSA, First will seem like bus heaven !
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1108
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All across the Great Western territory / Who's who on Western railways / Re: Leadership of the RMT - Bob Crow, succeeded by Mick Cash (ongoing discussion)
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on: March 12, 2014, 06:55:57
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Found this amongst the comments in the Daily Telegraph !
The engine with murderous blood was damp,
Brilliantly lit by a brimstone lamp;
While an imp, for fuel, was shov'ling bones,
The furnace rang with a thousand groans.
The boiler was filled with lager beer,
And the devil himself was the engineer;
The passengers were a most motley crew-
And faster and faster the engine flew.
Rich men in broadcloth, beggars in tweed,
And all of them signed up to the RMT▸ ,
The train rushed on at an awful pace,
The sulphurous fumes scorched their hands and face:
And out of the distance there arose a yell.
"Ha, ha," said the devil, we're nearing Hell!"
Then, oh, how the passengers all shrieked with pain
And begged the devil to stop the train!
But he capered about and danced for glee
And laughed and joked at their misery.
"My faithful friends, you have done the work,
And the devil never can a pay day shirk."
"You've justice scorned, and corruption sown,
And trampled the laws of nature down.
You have picketed, cheated, and gone on strikes
And mocked at God in your hell-born pride."
"You have paid full fare, so I'll carry you through;
For it's only right you should have your due.
Bob Crow's in first class, I expects my hire,
And I'll land you safe in the lake of fire."
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