List of railway museums in the United Kingdom facts for kids

The National Railway Museum, York is the largest railway museum in the United Kingdom

Have you ever wondered what it was like to travel by train a long time ago? Railway museums are amazing places where you can explore the history of trains! They keep old locomotives, carriages, and railway equipment safe. It's like stepping back in time to see how people and goods moved around the country. The United Kingdom has many fantastic railway museums, each with its own special stories and exhibits.

Discovering UK Railway Museums

Exploring England's Train History

England is home to many exciting railway museums. These museums help us learn about the amazing journey of trains. They show us how trains changed the way people lived and worked.

Here are some of the cool places you can visit:

• Amberley Working Museum, Arundel, West Sussex: This museum shows how old machines worked, including railway items.
• Beamish museum: A living museum where you can experience life in the North East of England in the past, including old transport.
• Bressingham Steam Museum, Norfolk: Here you can see and sometimes even ride on different types of steam engines.
• Crewe Heritage Centre, Crewe: Crewe was a very important place for building trains. This centre shows its railway past.
• Didcot Railway Centre: This museum has a large collection of Great Western Railway trains and buildings.
• East Anglian Railway Museum: Located in Essex, this museum preserves railway history from the East of England.
• London Transport Museum: Found in London, this museum tells the story of public transport in the city, including its famous underground trains.
• Locomotion, Shildon, County Durham: This museum is part of the National Railway Museum group and has many historic trains. It offers free entry!
• Middleton Railway, Leeds, West Yorkshire: This is one of the oldest working railways in the world. You can often ride on historic trains here.
• National Railway Museum, York, North Yorkshire: This is the biggest railway museum in the United Kingdom. It has a huge collection of trains and railway objects. Entry is free!
• National Tramway Museum, Crich, Derbyshire: This museum focuses on trams. You can ride on vintage trams through a recreated village street.
• Steam - Museum of the Great Western Railway, Swindon: This museum celebrates the history of the Great Western Railway, a famous train company.
• Stephenson Railway Museum, North Shields: Named after George Stephenson, a railway pioneer, this museum explores the region's railway heritage.

Scotland's Railway Stories

Scotland also has a rich railway history. Its museums show how trains helped connect towns and cities across its beautiful landscapes.

• Museum of Scottish Railways: This is Scotland's largest railway museum, located in Bo'ness. It tells the story of Scottish railways.
• Glasgow Museum of Transport: This museum has many different types of vehicles, including a great collection of trains and trams.
• Glenfinnan Station Museum: Found at the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct, this small museum shares the history of the West Highland Line.

Wales and Its Narrow Gauge Trains

Wales is famous for its narrow gauge railways, which are smaller trains that run on narrower tracks. Many museums here focus on these special railways.

• Narrow Gauge Railway Museum – Gwynedd: This museum is dedicated to the history of narrow gauge railways in Wales and beyond.
• Conwy Valley Railway Museum, Betws-y-Coed: A charming museum that explores the railway history of the Conwy Valley.
• Penrhyn Castle Railway Museum: Located within the beautiful Penrhyn Castle, this museum displays old industrial locomotives.

Northern Ireland's Railway Heritage

Northern Ireland has museums that preserve its unique railway past.

• Ulster Folk and Transport Museum: This large museum near Belfast has a fantastic transport gallery, including trains.
• Whitehead Railway Museum: This museum is home to the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's collection of historic trains.

Isle of Man's Island Railways

The Isle of Man has its own special railway history, with unique lines and trains.

• Jurby Transport Museum: This museum showcases various forms of transport found on the island.
• Port Erin railway museum: Located at the end of the Isle of Man Steam Railway line, this museum tells the story of the island's steam trains.

Channel Islands' Railway Past

Even the Channel Islands have a railway museum to explore.

• Pallot Heritage Steam Museum: Found on Jersey, this museum has a collection of steam engines and railway items.

See also

• List of British heritage and private railways
• Heritage railways in Northern Ireland
• List of heritage railways
• Mountain railway