The museum that you direct was created as one of the central offices of the antique "National Railway Museum", dependent of the Spanish Railway Foundation. Which is the actual status of the Museum of Vilanova? Which is the relation with the Museum of Madrid?
The Railway Museum of Vilanova i la Geltrú directly depends on the Managment Direction and Founds of the Museums of the Foundation of the Spanish Railways. Within this context, the relation that we maintain is good. However, each museum has different functions and activities, although we try to maintain the best possible coordination among us.
What kind of institutional help you receive?
On the one hand, we count with the help of the council fo Vilanova i la Geltrú, given that the council signed an agreement in the 95, according to which they promissed to make a contribution every year.
Together with this, we also count with the help of the Generalitat of Cataluña, given that we are included in the "system of Science and Technic Museum" of Cataluña. Every museum covers different specialities, and it correspond to our museum all that is related to the railway technology.
What kind of materials are expossed? Which is the systematic distribution? Which are the most emblematic pieces?
The museum is oriented to expose the corresponding materials to the steam technology and I believe that we have, in this line, the most extense collection. This is so, that among our founds it can be found the "Martorell" locomotive, 120-2112 from 1854. Therefore, we have all types of locomotives, among which we emphasize one "Mamut" 030-2013 and the most important of the museum, a "Saint Faith" 151 F-3101 of 1942, a machine which is specially emblematic for many people.< BR>
Together with them, we also have many pieces with a high historic valour, like the last locomotive that circulate in wide way and that was extinguished by the King in 1975: the "Mikado" 141-2348. Futhermore, the museum also exposes an exact copy of the called " Train of the Century", which was finished in 1948.
The museum is placed in the antique deposit of steam locomotives of the city, at 45 km away from Barcelona. Pieces like the antique setting of the Station of France are preserved in the instalations. In the same line, it is also expossed the first iron bridge which was built by the Spanish state by the earthly and maritime Maquinist in 1968, which was originally placed in Pineda de Mar.
In addition to the exposition of the railway material, what type of activities are realized? Which are the most significatives?
We have and audiovisual that tells in 25 minutes the history of the railway in Spain and in Europe. We also make different exposititions about the culture of the railway, in addition to different representations of the books related to the world of the railway. In general, the museum makes all type of activities in order to improve the actuality of the railway , which help to understand its history. Also, I have to emphasize that we do not only try that our visitors knew what the railway meant, but also what it means nowadays and what it will be in the future.
Which are the main problems to what the museum has to face with? Are there many difficulties to obtain the material? And in its maintenance? And in relation to the budget?
We believe that this must improve and mantain it until XXIth and succeed in making it emblematic indeed. It is necessary to make inversions in elements such the coverty of the Rotonda, in order that the vehicles would be maintained in the best conditions and could be known by our descendants. We are also trying to recover the existing factory to incorporate it to the project of the museum. Anyway, to get everything, it is necessary the arquitectonic and economic help.
How are your relations with other Spanish institutions with similar projects?
The relations are very good. In fact, recently we have made visits to the Railway Museums of Gijón and Azpeitia. Together with this, we also maintain very good relations with institutions like the Transport Museum of Calaluña, placed in Castellar d'Hug in the region of Bergadá. These relations are reinforced by the permanent contacts which will continue existing, specially because this type of museums need the help of railway specialists.
Which is the future of the Museum? Will you expand it?
Although I have already talked about it in an anterior question, I must insist on that in these moments there exist a project directed by the Foundation and which counts with the help of the Council, of the Generalitat and of the University of Barcelona. This is a very ambitious project and once put into use, it will permit communicate and improve the world of the railway in a way according to the demands of the XXIth.
Does the museum that you manage historic material in good conditions to circulate? Which projects do exist in relation to this?
Nowadays, "The train of the Century" is in use. However, accordingo to the project about we are talking, we would like to maintain some pieces on a good state in order that the youngests and the oldests could know, let us say, what is the smell of smoke. We must not forget that this museum is centered in the steam and all that this means in the railway cuture.
The maintenance of the railway historic material represents a serious problem, taking into account that it is not only necessary to recover mainly the most antiques, but also to preserve the most important materials that are continously out of use. Which are in your opinion the most adecuate systems to get it? Do you believe taht the cession of the material to private associasions is correct?
I believe that the material that is continously out of use had to be incorporated to the founds of the museum. However, there have been made cessions to private associations which have developed correctly the conservation and maintenance of the objects. In base to these examples, I believe that there must not exist extrict criteria in relation to the valoration and expectatives. From my point of view, each material must be studied, the same as each association, and distribute them according to the correct criteria.
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