It's been too long... since I blogged and since I caught up with the editorial team at Manchester Climate Fortnightly (@mcr_climate on Twitter). Yesterday, Common hosted the catch-up and an interesting idea-bouncing session over skinny lattés.We ranged around flash-mobbed guerilla-gardening opportunities, setting up a Geofix Debate, through to green-trains, through to...
... The Social Media Express...
I got to musing on the Jazz Trains, Folk Trains and Blues Trains which run from Huddersfield to Sheffield and back on the Penistone Line on Mondays (#uktrain, @johnpopham's fabled Ghost Train). You buy your ticket, they have a bar on board, they have a band on board. You get on, drink, chat, listen, sing, get off, go home.
So, mashing up this idea with Manchester's Social Media Cafe, I wondered whether The Social Media Express (#smc_smx) might have... er... wheels.
Here's the basic idea. We get on a train at either Manchester Piccadilly or Victoria (a three or four carriage rattler would be ideal, plus you can join at your local station) and head off for somewhere about an hour away. In each carriage, someone pitches up to speak, just like at #smc_mcr. We also have a bar on board. People gravitate to the carriage and speaker of their choice. After the talks/discussions, people mingle and chat. At our 'destination' we stay on board and run through the talks again so people can pick up on other sessions or we run new talks, depending on supply/demand.
I think we could create a useful buzz around this for #smc_mcr as well as for creative use of public transport... Maybe one of the talks could/should be green/sustainabilty oriented.
I'm thinking aloud here... anyone think this is worth pursuing...?
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10 comments:
Sounds interesting! I suppose cost is the main issue but depending on date I'd be up for it...
yes cost... Thinking about how to get sponsorship/funding/subsidy... It must be 'on message' for someone's agenda.
Tim, this is something that can be discussed, particularly with sponsorship, I know someone who is interested to sponsor something. And it is a brilliant idea, especially because I ADORE trains!
http://east-lancs-rly.co.uk/
Is hirable :)
Sounds great, but it would require a lot of planning.
What would be event cooler is to have local events at more or less the same time and the people interested in boarding the train would do so and mingle with others already on the train.
If you know what I mean.
Looking fwd to hearing more about this idea.
BTW, you guys should come to OpenCoffee in Huddersfield.
@ savocado - it can take a lot of planning, but so should everything. If we apply strategic thinking here, this can really come out as a great event. And BTW, I like the idea of mingling digital and non-digital folks.
Tim, tons of cookies for a great ideas!
I'd be very interested in this too. If I can help make it happen, let me know...
is there WiFi onboard?
Thanks all for the comments... I'll do some digging to see if this thing is feasible (including wifi Gray... don't get your hopes up!).
Will probably add stuff here, but follow @smc_smx for any updates.
This is the sort of thing that i'd be up for as well.
Love social media and community involvement ... oh and beer and trains too !
Will watch out for more info.
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