Model railway tells history of docks as museum gets £10k boost
VENUE ATTRACTS THOUSANDS OF VISITORS EACH YEAR
IMMINGHAM has the best train set in the country and is attracting thousands of visitors every year.
The team of volunteers who maintain the model railway received a welcome boost when Associated British Ports (APB) donated £10,000 to Immingham Museum and entered a new partnership with the charity to support them.
The museum has a model railway which is an exact replica of the railway network. It made the town the nation’s biggest cargo-handling port and this year marks the 110th anniversary of the docks opening by King George V and Queen Mary.
Over a thousand visitors enjoyed a magnificent display at an open weekend when train enthusiasts from across the country rolled into Immingham. One of the curators and trustees, John Trevitt, said he was overjoyed by the attraction. He acknowledged the support of Immingham Town Council and ABP in maintaining the town’s role as a heritage site for rail enthusiasts.
“They come from all over the country and say how nice Immingham looks, with no litter and lots of flowers and our exhibition is in the Division One of model railways. It is real class and our exhibition in the museum shows how our railways allowed Immingham and the rest of North East Lincolnshire to thrive,” said John.
He added: “If it was not for the railways, Immingham, Grimsby, and Cleethorpes simply would not have the success they have enjoyed for the past 100 years. He showed off the important role the docks played during wartime and how cruise liners took advantage of the channel in the River Humber
Immingham Dock has been the making of our town and we look forward to not only showing the past but also look forward to the future Malcolm Cullum
to dock at Immingham.
A century ago The Royal Navy considered moving their headquarters to Immingham from Portsmouth. A little-known fact is how engineers shifted a billion tons of earth to o make Immingham three feet above sea a level. It had its own power station at t the start of the 20th Century.
Rail engineers used the gravity of slopes down towards the docks to create e efficient railways for car- rying coal. Vast amounts were carted off to London. Grain and timber were also shifted is vast bulks, making Immingham among the biggest freight yards in the world. Only Chicago had a bigger docklands.
The railways have continued to carry freight on every-bigger quantities with 150 freight trains per day with Barnetby the biggest line in the UK based on cargo. He welcomed the donation from ABP to continue showing the importance of the rail network to the town and the rest of North East Lincolnshire.
The donation will allow Immingham Museum to invest in technology to take the museum into the next century and increase the attraction’s local reputation. An immersive video wall will allow visitors to experience life on the port and get a bird’s eye view from vessels entering the lock, to pilots boarding the vessels and coming up the Humber.
Simon Bird, Regional Director of ABP Humber said: “ABP is proud to support the local community and we believe it’s important to give back when we can. The port of Immingham has long been a part of the history of the town, and they already have an impressive display of the port’s history. This partnership will allow them to go further and for us to strengthen our ties.”
Malcolm Cullum, chairman of Trustees at Immingham Museum and Heritage Centre said: id “We W are d delighted li ht d th that t ABP h have d decided id d to support Immingham Museum and we look forward to working with them in the future. It is now over 50 years since the Museum was formed and has been able to show the history of our area.
“Immingham Dock has been the making of our town and we look forward to not only showing the past but also look forward to the future.”
The museum, which is the only accredited one in North East Lincolnshire, will be supported with a yearly financial contribution, loan of documents and other assets from ABP’s vast historic archive, support from ABP staff in a volunteering capacity, port tours, and strengthened outreach ties with schools including port visits.
The first-floor room dedicated to the history of the port will be renamed the ABP Room and will be used to enhance people’s understanding of the port, which was officially opened on 22 July 1912 by King George V and Queen Mary.
Based in Immingham Civic Hub, the museum staffed by volunteers opened in 1970 and its main theme is the history of the port of Immingham and the Mayflower pilgrim connection. Entry to the museum is free and it is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday, 1pm to 4pm.