Following the visit to the Gauge Museum by volunteers from the Swanage Railway Museum last November, Chris Austin, Geoff Evens and Chris Bolt made a return visit on 30 May, hosted by Gavin Johns (chairman of the Swanage Railway Trust) and several of the museum volunteers. We were shown round both the Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum at Norden and the Railway Museum at Corfe Castle, and came away with a number of ideas which will help with development of the our own museums. We also shared in sessions on emergency planning and on HLF grants.

The HLF session was given by Kelly Spry-Phare (in the centre of the photo in front of the Corfe Castle Museum). Kelly will be coming to Bishops Lydeard on 21 June to give feedback on our recent unsuccessful bid for an HLF grant to develop the Gauge Museum, and to hear more about the railway’s ‘Southern Gateway’ proposals. This will enable the Trustees to decide on our next steps at the Board meeting on 13 July.