Speakers:
Chris Knapp, Head of Conservation, Imperial War Museum Duxford
Marta Leskard, Head of Conservation, The Science Museum
Mike Stripe, Vintage Sports car Club
Richard Gibbon, Consultant and former Head of Engineering, National Railway Museum 

Historically the issue of operating historic transport has been a thorny one, with people aligning themselves either on the side of static preservation to ensure the object remains as unchanged as possible, or on the side of operation to improve understanding of the object and enhance the experience of museum visitors. 

Among key points raised were:

·        Operating historic transport and the process of conservation led to greater understanding of the history and development of the engine

·        It was vital that people operating the artefact were knowledgeable and had the relevant expertise

·        Operating a vehicle was sometimes the best way of understanding its significance

·        People were now more tolerant about the building of replicas, although they can be expensive

·        The process of repair and operation must be documented, so that it can be referred to in later years

·        Conservation skills are needed to operate, repair and maintain vehicles – it was vital the skills were passed on and not lost.

More details of the seminar and extracts from the speakers presentations will be available from the Collections Link web site in due course, or from Tim Bryan (secretary of the Association of British transport & Engineering Museums e-mail tbryan9@heritage-motor-centre.co.uk)

Thanks are due to Diana Zeuner (Editor AIM Newsletter) for this summary of the seminar)