Sunderland vehicle museum inundated with glass donations

BBC News

09-02-2025

A planned transport museum has been inundated with donations of glass and volunteers after people were asked to help restore their windows.The charity Tyne Tees Heritage Transport is converting an old warehouse in Sunderland into a vehicle museum and workshop. Vice chairman Rob Evans said his phone went "crazy" with people responding to the social media appeal and that a "vast amount" of glass had been offered.Chairman John Kelly said they were undertaking the project to keep "history alive".
The organisation, which is made up of groups including the Northeast Military Vehicle Group, Durham MG group and Sunderland and District Classic Vehicle Society, got access to the building in November."When we first came in, it was like an Axminster [carpet] of pigeon poo," Mr Kelly said."We had 14 volunteers on the day to brush pigeon poo, which is remarkable on a cold November day."
Volunteers from all over the north-east of England had been at the site glazing, clearing vegetation and reconnecting the mains supply.Mr Kelly said people had been "cleaning drains out up to their necks and up to their shoulders, with hands down drains"."It's dedication, they're a first class group of people."
'Last of the Summer Wine'
The building was previously used to repair steam locomotives before becoming an engineering workshop and the charity has been successfully applying for grants to fund the project."It's got a huge history," Mr Kelly said."We're all of a geriatric age now, it's like Last of the Summer Wine when you come into our groups."We decided we need to leave something for the future and get younger people involved."
Mr Evans said he had been all over the region collecting donated glass."It's very expensive if you need to buy it," he said."So I thought, 'What better? We've got a community of classic car enthusiasts and I'm sure people have old greenhouses falling down in the garden, and it was worth a try'."They also received a large donation from Washington company N E & C Windows & Doors."I can't thank them enough," Mr Evans said."There'll probably be other appeals because there's an awful lot we need, so watch this space."
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