2022 PROJECTS

Freinds' Support to Musuem projects

Despite the closure of the museum at Covent Garden and limited access to Acton Depot for much of the last year, the following curatorial projects, funded by the Friends, are forecast to be completed by March 2022:

 

• The Mounting of signs and maps at Acton Depot
• Poster and artwork conservation
• Repairs to RT 4285 and RM 1737
• How to make a poster project
• Repairs to the Charabanc
• Repairs to RM1’s engine

 

Good progress continues to be made by the Engineering your Neighbourhood and Community Hub in Acton, two projects aimed at using the facilities at the Depot to increase involvement with local communities and, in particular, children.  Due to a lack of resource within the Museum, less-than expected progress has so far been made with the Excellence in Engineering project. This is the subject of ongoing discussion between the Museum and Friends.

 

The Library Management system project remains on track with an expected completion date of March 2022.

The Trustees have decided to change the Friends’ accounting year from the calendar year used up to now to a financial year ending on 31^st March. This is to align the Friends’ accounting practice with that followed by the Museum and will simplify project accountability. As a result, the Friends will have a one-off 15 month financial year from 1st January 2021 to 31^st March 2022.

 

Museum projects agreed for Friends’ funding in 2022/3 include:

• Support for additional curatorial post for Vehicle Engineering
• Match funding by the Friends in support of an application to the Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND) for essential work on the Covent Garden lifts and cooling system.
• Assessment of pre-WW2 vehicles to facilitate a prioritised maintenance programme
• Heritage bus repairs (including LT 165 engine)
• Heritage bus operations and interpretation for vehicles at external events
• Q-stock (separate ring-fenced fund)
• Conservation work on Underground cars at Covent Garden
• Heritage Train Engineering (1967 car) and signalling displays (Acton Depot)
• Excellence in Volunteering project to develop volunteering resources
• Funding provision for further acquisitions to Museum collections

Under these proposals, funding of Museum projects by the Friends will total £233,000 in 2022/3, including £60,000 for Q-stock.