Project grants/More railway architecture

Basic information

Project Title (If applicable)

More railway architecture

Proposed by

Harry Mitchell

Are you currently a member of Wikimedia UK?

No. I'm inferring from this that membership is no longer a prerequisite?

Project description

Briefly describe the issue or problem that motivates this application. What needs are you meeting?

My war memorials project has largely reached it goals, in part thanks to books funded by Wikimedia UK, and I'm looking for another project. WMUK has previously funded a gazetteer of railway buildings and structures, which I've used to create and improve several Wikipedia articles, mostly on railway bridges, though it has overlapped with my war memorials project in a few places and contributed to some featured articles. I'd like to do some more work in this area.

Describe project activities. What will you use the funding to do?

I will use the funding to buy a book, Conserving the Railway Heritage, which will be used as reference material for improvements to Wikipedia articles. For example, of the 50 or so railway bridges and viaducts with grade I or II* listed building status in England, several are red links and several others have fairly short articles.

Describe your plan for evaluating this project. How will you measure success? What types of things will you measure (e.g. content, participants)?

Progress can be measured through new articles (eventually I hope all the red links will turn blue) and improvements to existing articles, possibly to the level of good article or featured article, especially for articles on well-known and highly recognisable structures.

Identify key people involved in this project. How will or could the wider Wikimedian community be involved?

The project will mostly be me working alone, but Wikipedia is obviously a collaborative effort and help or improvement is welcome.

If applicable, identify partnering organisations for this project (not essential)

N/A

If you feel that there is more information that could be for example resources needed, how successes can be measured, and how it fits in with the aims of Wikimedia and Wikimedia UK. Please note that these answers don't have to be definite now, and can be expanded on in conversation with the programme team.

What targets have you set? What will you measure?

All grade I and grade II* listed bridges and viaducts that are currently red links to have non-stub articles. Improvements to the prose length and referencing of other articles. I will keep a list in my userspace of improvements made using the book.

What contribution will the project make to our strategic goals?

The strategic goals do not explicitly mention improvements to Wikipedia outside of under-represented groups and languages, but a book for researching Wikipedia is an example given on the Project grants page.

Who will be recording/measuring the project metrics, and writing up a project report?

Me.

What staff support is being requested?

Minimal. The purchase of a book.

How can you get other volunteers involved? What roles could they have?

Not really applicable.

What meeting or other space is needed?

None.

Are other resources needed (such as computers, books, camera equipment, food, contacts, infrastructure)? How will they be sourced?

No

If any partner organisations have been identified, have they been contacted and are they committed?

N/A

Does this project require more extensive funding? What would any WMUK funds be used for?

No. For the purchase of a book (price c. £80)

Are external funds needed that we can apply for? If so where will they be sought?

N/A

Are there any resources that you can contribute? Such as equipment.

I have a bookshelf full of material on railway history/heritage/architecture that this will complement.

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