Dalek Invasion in Manchester

This year, the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester has been hosting a Doctor Who exhibition which has proved very popular. However, this did not alert me to the risks Keith, John and I ran when we visited the Museum on Sunday, 26th August 2007. For this was no ordinary day - this was the day for the Dalek Invasion in Manchester!

Apparently, there was no Guiness Record for the most Daleks gathered in one location. The Museum of Science and Industry determined that this amazing oversight be corrected by making a record attempt on the very day we'd chosen to visit.

At first, it was like a normal day at the Museum but then a crowd of people started to gather near the 1830 Warehouse. And then the Daleks started to appear, first in ones and twos but then in strength. The crowd didn't appear to realise their danger - in fact, a number of them appeared to be on good terms with the Daleks but I must have been mistaken. Some of the Daleks were exactly as I remember them - 'British Standard Daleks' as it were - but others varied in size, colouration and even design. Was this, I wondered, the result of inter-breeding or merely the effect of off-shoring manufacture to the Far East?

Soon there was a large crowd - I couldn't determine how many were Dalek and how many humanoid. As the electronic ring modulators started up, the raucous voices of some of the Daleks could be heard, whilst others remained silent or conversed in an attractive North Country lilt. Despite the crowding, I saw none of the terrible violence which is traditionally associated with the Dalek race.

One brave policeman supervised the throng - apparently the Chief Constable of Manchester. Presumably, the police have targets for stop and search of Daleks - he was certainly kept busy on this day. And, somehow, a time-travelling Mr. Chadwick from 1830 appeared as a genial Master of Ceremonies. The day was becoming altogether too bizarre. I assumed that some of those present were from Guiness Superlatives and that they would determine whether a record had been created.

To borrow a phrase, we 'made our excuses and left' just in case there was a problem over the record - the vengeance of the Daleks would have been as nothing compared with the vengeance of the various young people dressed in cardboard Dalek suits. More photographs

Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester

Keith Watson visited the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester on Sunday, 26th August 2007, together with John Archer and Jan. The photograph above shows Lawrence and Bev looking on as Keith starts 'Planet'. Many thanks to Lawrence, Bev and Johnathon for making Keith's visit so special - he even got breakfast on the shovel. For more pictures of the visit goto Jan's photographs

Some of the stationary engines on display fascinated Keith. We took a good look at the sectioned locomotive 'Pender'. This was built by Beyer Peacock in Manchester for the Isle of Man Railway. 'Pender' is mounted on a 'rolling road' and the wheels and motion are driven by an electric motor discreetly mounted under the rear end. Cutting a locomotive open is never very nice but, of course, a number of her classmates were preserved and run the tourist service in the Isle of Man. It has to be admitted that a cutaway locomotive is a splendid training tool. I've seen 'Ellerman Lines' sectioned at the National Railway Museum and the sectioned locomotive at Delhi Railway Museum.

We moved on to the Pakistan Railways broad gauge 4-4-0, also a Beyer Peacock locomotive. I took a few shots of the inside link motion and the massive driving axle. The crank webs are 'hooped', presumably for strength. The cab sides carry a splendid brass badge.

'Novelty' next took our attention. Although it is a non-working replica, it incorporates the wheels and one cylinder from the original. There is a working replica of 'Novelty' but it resides in Sweden. The working replica ran at Manchester during the Liverpool and Manchester 175th celebrations. The photos of that event offer more pictures of some of the exhibits described here.

The original 1830 station buildings survive and the First Class booking hall has been restored to show the arrangements for 'checking-in'. We watched a little playlet where a married couple, the Chadwicks, take the train for the first time in 1830. This concludes outside next to the 'Planet' replica. It's both good fun and educational.

At this point, Keith had his driving experience on 'Planet' before we returned to the Power Hall to check out the largest exhibit - the ex-South African Railways Beyer Garratt, also built in Manchester. This 3 foot 6 inch gauge 4-8-2 + 2-8-4 turns the scales at 214 tons!

As if all this were not enough, there was an event taking place at the Museum that day to set a World Record for the number of Daleks in one place! I should perhaps explain that the Museum is currently hosting a very successful Doctor Who Exhibition - prior to the exhibition I had noticed very few Daleks in Manchester (well, none, actually).

All-in-all, a very successful visit to what is now being marketed as the 'Museum Of Science and Industry'. So, if you've not yet made a visit, why not 'Mosey on down to Mosi'? (Ouch!).

Ivor the Engine

Somehow, I never got to see the 'Ivor the Engine' animated films when they were first broadcast. When the Battlefield Line announced that they were running a number of 'Ivor the Engine' days at the end of July and the beginning of August 2007, I thought I'd better do a little research.

Well, 'Wikipedia' told me all I needed to know about history and other sites provided stills and video. Being a cartoon engine, 'Ivor' has, shall we say, rather unusual proportions for a steam locomotive but quite a faithful recreation has resulted from the restoration of a small, 4-coupled, outside cylinder Peckett, works number 1555. I believe this locomotive is one of two which worked in Cawdor Quarry, Matlock (right next to the Peak Rail line, where I regularly drive).

The locomotive owner, Steve, was on hand as Ivor pottered around the station and characters from the story like Dai Station, Mrs. Porty and driver Edwin Jones performed little playlets. From time to time, Ivor would couple up to the two-car DMU for a romp part way up the line. It was all good fun and passenger numbers were healthy enough for Ivor to have a repeat booking in 2008. A 'special' was run at the end of the day on the 4th August and there's a Video Clip of Steve driving his engine.

More photos.