Tim Dunn

Railways & buildings. Historian, geographer, presenter @UKTV #TheArchitectureTheRailwaysBuilt & #SecretsOfTheLondonUnderground. 🏳️‍🌈. Own views, obvs

[Tim Dunn @MrTimDunn]

I have been asked an interesting question. Why does London’s Moorgate tube station have a mix of “traditional” bar-and-Circle roundels... and weird diamonds? Well... (1/6)

[Tim Dunn @MrTimDunn]

I’m not sure why you’re arguing what we already know? Yes, the museum that runs the attraction at the dockyard since SSGB was dragged back has to date marketed itself as SSGB. The GW dock yard that it is based in also homes the Being Brunel Museum, Dockyard Museum, Brunel Institute, Albion Dock viewing area. Now they’re going to market themselves as the docks because that better represents the diversity of what’s on offer and the diverse range of heritage that they can now display on their massive site, rather than just talking about the ship. I feel we’re going round in circles here for no reason; this is getting quite repetitive now

[Tim Dunn @MrTimDunn]

@ChisieWeirdo @RobertSterry6 @benonwine @LWalksLondon The Great Western dock of Bristol was built for the SSGB. It is a dock. It was always called the dock. The museum trust has marketed the site as the SSBG since the ship returned, but now it is widening remit & marketing the whole site as the docks. I fail to see the problem here.

[Tim Dunn @MrTimDunn]

No, Robert is not incorrect. The site has always been the Bristol Docks/yard: the museum trust however has marketed their attraction located in part of it as the “SS Great Britain” because that has been its major draw. Now, they’re marketing more of the site. There’s no “gotcha” here. The incorrect bullshit is from the OP and those who retweeted it.

[Tim Dunn @MrTimDunn]

If you lived in Metro-land in the 90s or 2000s, these Metropolitan line moquettes will be familiar. You might recall the bouncy seats, the whirring of air compressors at each stop, or the proud little Metropolitan Railway crests which persisted until 2012 by the driver’s cabs too

[Joe Brown @JoeBrownLondon]

#OnThisDay 65 years ago the first A60 Stock train - built for the Metropolitan Line electrification to Amersham (hence the 'A') - ran in passenger service. They bowed out in September 2012, having provided 51 years service @ltmuseum https://t.co/tmRdIj3xSL

[Tim Dunn @MrTimDunn]

@OfficerofEngin1 @GWRHelp No

[Tim Dunn @MrTimDunn]

@RKin3333 @benonwine @LWalksLondon The problem here is yours.

[Tim Dunn @MrTimDunn]

@OfficerofEngin1 @GWRHelp “Because when asked, the public said they wanted nature life on banknotes rather than people, and the usual schedule for replacement is due.”

[Tim Dunn @MrTimDunn]

No, it isn’t. It’s good business sense. You’re heading off down a theoretical rabbit hole that doesn’t exist.

A problem here is that exception is being taken to the word “diverse” for various reasons. If you replace the word “diverse” with “lots of different types of” then that means the same thing. Another problem here is that you and others seem cross that a museum should want to appeal in different ways to different people, and do different things for different people.

To bring in more money and to be a resilient cultural enterprise, diverse audiences are needed: because sometimes one audience - like the ones looking to visit a ship - has reached a limit. To bring in more people they are developing the rest of the site: they are diversifying the offer.

Nothing is being taken away, but more things - and more knowledge - is being added.

[Tim Dunn @MrTimDunn]

No, *you* visit because of the ship.
Others visit for other reasons, and it is, and has been for rather a long time, a substantial historic dockyard. Many more people don’t visit at all, but by talking about more than just a ship occupying part of the site, they’re more likely to.

The point of this is broadening appeal, not some mythical “descent into wokedom” which might be all very exciting on a GB News bulletin and easy to lob in a mindless retort, but doesn’t stand up to any scrutiny.

If you want to carry on being grumpy and angered about “wokery” then fine - but given that you clearly like the place, I think it’s odd that you don’t want to see more people visit it.

[Tim Dunn @MrTimDunn]

@RobertSterry6 @benonwine @LWalksLondon Feels a pity now that Great Eastern was built at Millwall and not upstream at Wapping, perhaps!

[Tim Dunn @MrTimDunn]

This rage is misinformed. Calling it “woke” and weirdly focusing on the word “diversity” here fundamentally misses the point. But I suspect you’re well aware of that.

The site is being renamed Bristol Dockyards because it is already much more than the SSGB which sits within it. There’ll be new, extra exhibits about the heritage of Bristol’s massive docks - and the incredible diversity of that heritage.

It increases the remit of the site, widens its appeal and safeguards the future of its major exhibit, the SSGB, and the Brunel exhibition which features a giant version of the small man himself, smoking a cigar. It’s a new name which better reflects what paying tourists will get.

But I guess the boring, sensible reality isn’t as good as manufactured fury for social engagement statistics, right?

[Kernow Model Rail Centre @kernowmodelrail]

Kernow Model Rail Centre continue our support of The Southern Electric Traction Group @Gordon_3417 and will donate £20 from each sale of the @hornby R30469 Hornby Class 423 4 VEP Train Pack 3417 Gordon Pettitt to the Group
Pre-order your 3417 here https://t.co/ExlfHmt2vC

[Tim Dunn @MrTimDunn]

@JeSuisUnDan What he doesn’t know is that kid is going to pay for the dodgy petrol coupons with knock-off greenshield stamps and a bootleg luncheon voucher. That’ll learn ‘im

[Network Rail @networkrail]

🎉 Happy birthday to George Stephenson, born #onthisday in 1781.

📜 He planned the Stockton and Darlington Railway - considered the world’s first passenger railway to use steam locos - which celebrated 200 years last year:

➡️ https://t.co/ihl6mZ7DgY

#InternationalArchivesWeek

[GWR @GWRHelp]

🧮Could the CODEbreaker’s train have something to share with us?

⭐We're giving an incredible prize to five lucky code breakers! If you can find the hidden message in the code on the side of our Alan Turing train (see pics) you could win:

🏅A limited edition Alan Turing coin; one of only 25 specially minted after the train naming!

🚅2 First Class tickets for a return journey on any GWR service.

When you've cracked the code, enter it at https://t.co/Q9h8QiJGjy and let us know you've done it in the comments (but ssshhh, don't share the code)

Follow us and look out for helpful clues over the next couple of weeks.

This competition will self destruct on Alan Turing's birthday, the 23rd June...

Good luck

#AlanTuring #PrideMonth #Codebreaking

[Tim Dunn @MrTimDunn]

@Rollerofeyes I’ve not - but a few of our Ickenham members are also members over there. I will go one day!

[Tim Dunn @MrTimDunn]

Tomorrow! £1 train rides on one of London’s oldest miniature railways, at Ickenham. Train rides 12-5pm, around both 5 inch gauge circuits & through the tunnels. You’ll find Ickenham Miniature Railway behind the Coach & Horses pub & the village pump.
⦵Met/Picc, 5 min walk.

[Tim Dunn @MrTimDunn]

@wgloipp 😇

[Tim Dunn @MrTimDunn]

Antony Littler was killed in a horrific “queer bashing” attack in East Finchley in 1984, just because he was gay. Today, two brothers have finally been found guilty of his murder. https://t.co/Dm1TLiPklt