A while ago I blogged about our request for donations of luggage. A whole heap of luggage has come in from lofts and cupboards across Yorkshire.
Before we can put any of the luggage to good use in Station Hall we need to treat it with a pesticide to get rid of any pests that might be dormant in the fabric. As those of you who have visited Station Hall will know, there are lots of carriages with upholstered seats on display in there, and one of our biggest challenges is protecting the fabrics from moths and other bugs.
This morning our conservation team started to de-bug the luggage. Here’s some of the donations so far awaiting their treatment.
And here’s the luggage returned (sort of) to its rightful home – in the guard’s van of our Southern Railway motor brake. As you can see the cases are opened up so that the inside surfaces get treated too.
After this photo was taken the pesticide smoke ‘bomb’ was lit, the doors quickly closed, and we hastily retreated! The luggage will stay in there for at least 48 hours – after that it should get the all clear to go in to Station Hall.