The 'Planet' replica at MOSI is 21 this year. The exact date depends upon which particular event you choose as the 'birthday'. I normally use the official launch by the Lord Mayor of Manchester on 2nd October 1992.
The birthday party celebrating 21 years of operation was held at MOSI on 27th November. The guests were Volunteers, Friends of the Museum and people who were involved in the 'Planet' Project and the previous Director of the Museum, Steve Davies - quite a gathering.
Of course, 'Planet' was in steam giving rides. Even at 5.00 p.m. it was already dark.
Vince and Duncan enjoy a ride behind 'Planet' in the dark.
When everyone had admired 'Planet', taken a ride or just enjoyed chatting, the guests moved into the main building. A number of large round tables with chairs had been set up on the ground floor in front of a modern multi-screen video display comprising a central panel of 3 x 3 screens flanked on either side by panels of 4 x 4 screens together with a series of smaller screens forming 'wings'. Beverages were served initially and then a long queue formed where the guests were quickly served a delicious Lancashire Hot Pot.
In the Dining Area, the 'Big Screens' showed duplicated video images of 'Planet'.
Another view of the Dining Area showing one of the 'Big Screens' and one 'wing' of smaller screens.
Matthew Jackson has been Railway Officer for six years but, sadly, is shortly leaving. Mike Ward made a presentation to Matthew on behalf of his many friends. The Chairman of the Museum Friends, Mike Crawley, then gave a short address about 'Planet' and the threat to the future of the railway posed by the Ordsall Chord Project (there's more about the Ordsall Chord in my post Another Saturday in Manchester).
The main speaker of the evening was Michael Bailey but, unfortunately, the writer and other guests with long distances to travel were unable to stay for the remainder of the celebrations.
This event concluded 21 years of successful operation of 'Planet'. For more information about 'Planet', see my 'Planet' Loco-profile here which includes a number of 'related post' links to articles describing the original 'Planet' locomotives together with the building and operation of the 'Planet' replica.
My pictures
My rather poor pictures of the'birthday party' are here.
