27 July continued….

As I was saying earlier:

The Vulcan is exposed to yobs (no golf course, just football fields) and is hemmed in on three sides. Access to the rear of the aircraft is non-existant for anything bigger than a ride-on lawnmower… In the very near future, we (and another company) will need access to the rear of the aircraft with a hiab or crane. (Depending on TVOC’s survey again…) the aircraft needs to move forward to a location next to the hangar. Plus, there is no way I’m spending the next twelve months replacing panels, glass, etc just to have them shot out again the day after she is painted. Passing trade is really not that great, we seem to rely more on word of mouth, and people coming from the pub on a sunday…

Today was a bit of a record for a weekday – more visitors than volunteers for once. Several happy kids and parents- the Vulcan cockpit has been cleaned and generally spruced up, and since we are working on her pretty much constantly, we can allow visitors access to the cockpit. Normally, there is just one person in the entrance to the museum, and naturally he can’t leave there to hike over to the Vulcan… First thing we need to do once the survey comes back, assuming its ok, is to move her. We need to lay three deep concrete pads – we have the hardcore, just need concrete and a mini digger (hired of course), and then tow the beastie without snapping the nose leg off….:eek:

We seemed to acheive alot today – a bit of a corporate day so far as I was concerned. Prints, mugs, mousemats, and the deputy manager, webcams, servers, and Ghost Haunted….. busy busy..:cool:

Some VERY interesting deals happening behind the scenes, which could prove to be a saviour to the museum – If they happen, we could be looking at building a hangar double the size of the current main hangar… before the end of the year…! Its all hush hush. sorry!

27 July update

Lots of work done today by the Newcastle Aviation Academy members on the surrounds of the Vulcan. Its a long hard slog to find the tennis court, but it is getting there.

The Dragonfly needs its blades put on, then it is complete. A spare engine is going to be cleaned up and displayed with it once it moves into the display hall.

Mr. Simon Glancey http://www.wwrgallery.co.uk paid us a visit today and a deal has been done regarding his wonderful prints of our aircraft. In the near future (subjet to the size of the manager’s wallet) we shall be selling his prints from the museum. Please visit his website above to see what he does!

Webcams have been fitted today, the server is up and running, and a preliminary website has been set up. Thanks here must go to the Ghost Haunted team, http://www.ghosthaunted.co.uk with whom we are dealing very closely, and without whom none of this would have been possible. I’ll update you with a website address after I have checked it out. It will be updated regularly! There is an interim website which they have set up – please follow their website for directions, or use this link straight to the site:

http://www.ghosthaunted.co.uk/neam/

Reference the position of the Vulcan – she cannot stay where she is for the reasons mentioned above. We will lose the passing trade who see her, but this should be more than compensated for by the rapid improvement in advertising / website / and changes in the layout at the site.

If we can move her over the grassed area while work is carried out, then by the time she is painted up, a hangar should have been built covering her original position, so she can be moved back. ‘Funding’ I hear you cry – depending on a couple of deals, the hangar can be built.

However, we are still looking for sponsors for the Vulcan restoration as we cannot pin all hopes on the salvation of the museum on a couple of deals….

We have steel plates, but I think something a little more substantial would be better…. more later….