Author: mikenevell

I am the Industrial Heritage Support Officer for England, based at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.

Severn Valley Railway Launch Fund Raising Appeal to Repair Landslip

Around 30m (32yds) of the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) track and track bed was damaged in a landslip on 30 January. A section of the track is impassable after the embankment collapsed about 300m (328yds) north of Sterns on the Shropshire section of the line. The affected area lies between SVR’s northern terminus station at…

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Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings to Join English Heritage

Historic England have annoucned that they will be handing over the visitor attraction at Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings to the care of English Heritage from the 1st April 2025. The visitor experience at Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings will become part of the charity’s 400-strong portfolio of historic attractions, welcoming thousands of potential new visitors. It will sit…

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Free Seminar on Shaping the Future of Archaeological Knowledge on Wikipedia, Feb 11th

The Archaeology Data Service and Wikimedia UKare running a free traingins eminar to enhance archaeology references on Wikipedia using DOIs (digital objetc identifiers) and making research more accessible to all! Whether you’re a seasoned Wikipedian or new to editing, you’ll learn how these digital fingerprints make archaeological knowledge more discoverable and reliable. Plus, compete for…

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Grant Funding Streams in 2025

There are many large and small grant schemes available for industrial heritage sites, museums and groups and it can be difficult to identify the right ones otogo for. Here’s a reminder for 2025 of three grant streams that regularly support such sites and groups. Esmée Fairbairn Communities and Collections Fund The Museums Association (MA) awards…

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Choosing the Right Social Media Platform for Your Industrial Museum in 2025

Choosing the right social media platform or platforms for your industrial museum or site is a big step since it affects the visibility, engagement, and impact of your site. Most industrial sites have a presence on Facebook, but deciding to join, stay, or leave a platform requires careful consideration, since some platforms are a better…

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Association for Industrial Archaeology Grants & Awards Deadlines in 2025

The deadlines for the 2025 Association for Industrial Archaeology grants and awards are fast approaching (31 January and 31 March 2025), but there is still time to consider applying for a restoration or research grant, or nominating a book or thesis for an award. Recent winners have included Wayne Cocroft and Paul Stamper for their book Legacies…

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Northumberland County Council To Fund Repairs to Woodhorn Colliery Museum

Northumberland County Council have agreed to fund repairs to Woodhorn Museum’s heapsteads, which support the winding gear that raised and lowered cages down the mine shaft. These are in need of a full refurbishment with major corrosion identified, leading the Grade II* listed structure to be classed as “heritage at risk” by Historic England. £1.297 million…

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Museum of Cannock Chase Under Threat from Closure in 2025

Cannock Chase Council is proposing the closure of the Museum of Cannock Chase by April 2025, as part of proposed budgets cuts for 2025/2026. The Museum of Cannock Chase first opened in 1989 on the site of the former Valley Pit, a training pit for young coal miners. It covers the history of the Cannock…

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