Past Events - Depot Open Weekend: October 2011
Depot Open Weekend: October 2011
Date: Saturday 8 - Sunday 9 October 2011
Time: 11.00 - 17.00 (last admission 16.00)
Visitors can explore behind the scenes at London Transport Museum Depot, Acton over the weekend. As the custodian of the world’s most comprehensive and important record of urban transport, the Museum stores over 370,000 objects under one roof and the collection comprises of road and rail vehicles, engineering drawings, signs and ephemera. Highlights of the weekend include guided tours of the small object store, exciting demonstrations by Transport for London’s Emergency Response Unit and an opportunity to meet the experts of the Museum curators’ Top 10 engineering objects.
The Family Open Weekend is dedicated to children and their families and with that in mind we will run fun make and take workshops, Tickets please object handling sessions, and rides on the open air miniature railway and life-size heritage vehicles.
Family activities
Suitable for ages 5+
Activities include craft workshops where families can construct fabulous vehicles, engineer tall towers and build bridges from a variety of everyday materials. Throughout the weekend the Museum’s ambassadors will be demonstrating the fascinating Braking Eggsperiment, which will challenge visitors to construct a rail link enabling carriages to run efficiently between stops delivering passengers (eggs) safely.
Transport Tales and Railway Rhymes story telling
Suitable for under 5s
Tiny visitors are invited to hop on board one of our vehicles; listen to a transport tale, then sing-along to catchy tunes and railway rhymes.
Small object store
Tours of the small object store are back by popular demand. The store houses an extraordinary range of items including ticket machines from the 19th Century, catering equipment and sports trophies including a ceramic rooster. The curator-led tours will also be an opportunity to view the extensive collection of model vehicles including motor, rail and horse-drawn and a full range of iconic moquette fabric used to cover the seats of buses and Tubes.
Top 10 engineering objects
The Museum’s collection of engines and larger than life objects are on display and the curators have chosen their top ten. Meet the experts who will unravel some of the mysteries of transport engineering such as the workings of the infamous spiral escalator.
Emergency Response Unit demonstration
Transport for London’s Emergency Response Unit (ERU) will be there in all their glory. Demonstrations throughout the day and tours of the Emergency Response van and equipment, will give an insight into what it would be like to be a member of the ERU. Uniformed staff will be on hand to answer your questions and provide careers advice.
Safety & Citizenship workshops
Transport for London’s Safety & Citizenship team will run practical, fun workshops on using transport in London safely. Highlights include interactive vans, fitted out as a fully working London Underground station platform and bus complete with virtual ticket machine, videos and help point.
Limited edition bus models
Special limited edition model buses have been commissioned by London Transport Museum and will be launched on Saturday 8 October. Priced at £33.99 the Exclusive First Editions (EFE) 1:76 scale BET 36ft single deck buses in Southdown Motor Services apple green and cream depict operations on routes 79 to Crawley and 76 to Gossops Green. Southdown Motor Services was one of the large British Electric Traction (BET) companies whose operating area stretched from Hastings in the east to Warsash (near Fareham) in the west and at a number of points connected with London Transport’s country area bus services.
Ticket Information
*Tickets can now be purcahsed on the day in person*
Prices: Adults £10; Senior Citizens £8; Concessions £6.50; London Transport Museum Friends are Free; Accompanied Children under 16 are Free.
Terms: Tickets are valid on both days.