National Railway Museum facts for kids
|
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 1975 |
|---|---|
| Location | Leeman Road, York, England |
| Type | Railway museum |
| Visitors | 714,379 (2019) |
| National Museum of Science and Industry | |
| National Media Museum · National Railway Museum (Shildon Locomotion Museum) · Science Museum (Dana Centre, Science Museum Swindon) | |
The National Railway Museum (NRM) is a super cool museum in York, England. It's part of the Science Museum Group. This museum tells the amazing story of rail transport in Britain. It also shows how trains have changed society.
The NRM is home to a huge collection of important railway vehicles. These include famous trains like Mallard, Stirling Single, and Duchess of Hamilton. You can even see a Japanese bullet train here! The museum also has many other interesting items. These range from old recipe books to films about special "never-stop railways." The NRM has won many awards, including the European Museum of the Year Award in 2001.
Since 2019, the museum has been working on big improvements. They are building a new entrance to connect the two main parts of the museum. This is part of a larger project to improve the area around the museum. In 2020, a company called Feilden Fowles won a competition to design the new Central Hall building. This new hall is a key part of the museum's future plans. In January 2023, the museum's Station Hall closed for repairs. It is expected to reopen in late 2024.
Contents
What You Can See at the Museum
The National Railway Museum has over 6,000 items on display. About 100 of these are locomotives or railway carriages. They all help tell the story of Britain's railway inventions. The collection also includes unique items like fancy jewelry worn by "railway queens." You can also see models of planes, boats, and hovercraft. There are even experimental technologies, like a special Gyroscopic Mono-rail car.
This is the biggest railway museum in Britain. In 2018/19, about 782,000 people visited it. The museum opened in 1975 at its current location. It brought together railway collections from other places. Since then, the collection has continued to grow.
You can easily walk to the museum from York railway station. During holidays, a "roadtrain" runs from the city center to the museum. York Park and Ride buses also stop at the museum's car park entrance. The best part is that admission to the museum has been free since 2001! It is usually open daily from 10 am to 5 pm.
The NRM also has another museum called Locomotion. It opened in October 2004 in Shildon, County Durham. Locomotion houses more of the national railway collection. It is built around the historic workshop of Timothy Hackworth. In 2011–2012, over 210,000 people visited Locomotion.
-
A section of Station Hall, 2013
-
The Great Hall (1981)
-
Class 31 No. 31018 on display in the Great Hall (2006)
-
A Japanese 0 Series Shinkansen (No.22-141) at the NRM (2007)
-
4468 Mallard at the National Railway Museum York (2009)
-
Visiting Hogwarts Express engine 5972 Olton Hall (2004)
-
Statue of George Stephenson in the Great Hall
.JPG)
The National Collection of Trains
The National Collection has about 280 rail vehicles. Around 100 of these are usually at York. The rest are at Locomotion or other museums. The oldest vehicles are from around 1815.
One special display is "Palaces on Wheels." This is a collection of Royal Train carriages. They were used by kings and queens, from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II. These were some of the first railway vehicles ever saved for history.
Other important trains at York include the 1846 "Coppernob" locomotive. You can also see famous express steam locomotives. These include Flying Scotsman and Mallard. The Duchess of Hamilton is also there. Flying Scotsman sometimes even runs on the main railway lines!
The museum has also brought in some big trains from other countries. A Chinese locomotive was given to the museum in 1981. A Wagons-Lits sleeping car from the Paris-London Night Ferry service was also donated. The only non-British train is the Japanese 0 Series Shinkansen bullet train. It was given to the museum in 2001. It's the only Shinkansen outside Japan!
The trains on display change sometimes. New trains from today's railway industry also visit for short periods.
Other large items include the Stockton and Darlington Railway Gaunless Bridge. There are also big stationary engines. These were used to pull trains up steep railway slopes.
The museum also has many smaller items. These include railway signals, road vehicles, and ship models. You can see posters, drawings, and artwork. There are also tickets, train nameplates, and staff uniforms. The collection also has clocks, watches, and furniture from railway hotels. Many models are also on display. Some of these work on the museum's O scale model railway.
The Search Engine: Library and Archives
The National Railway Museum has a huge library and archive. It's called "Search Engine." This collection has important engineering drawings of locomotives. Copies of these drawings are sold to help restore old trains. They are also sold to model makers.
The library has over 20,000 books and 800 journals. The archive also holds many technical records and timetables. This includes many old Bradshaw timetables. There are also about 1.75 million photographs! These photos show railways from the very beginning until today.
Since 1999, the museum has been collecting recordings of former railway staff. This is for a National Archive of Railway Oral History. It also has recordings of steam trains. In 2009, the Forsythe Collection of travel items was added. Many of the museum's artworks can be seen in temporary exhibitions.
The Search Engine opened in late 2007. It is open from Wednesday to Saturday. Anyone can visit to look at the archive and library. It's a good idea to book archive materials ahead of time. Most of the collection is listed on its website. If you can't visit, the museum offers a research service called Inreach.
How the Museum Started
People wanted a national railway museum since the late 1800s. The collection we see today came from two main efforts. One was by state museums, focusing on new technology. The other was by the railway industry itself. The North Eastern Railway played a big part in this.
The Science Museum started its collection in the 1860s. It included early trains like Puffing Billy and Stephenson's Rocket.
Railway companies sometimes saved old equipment. But often, old trains were destroyed. Some were put on display at railway stations. Coppernob and Locomotion are examples of trains displayed this way.
The first railway museums opened in Norway (1896) and Germany (1899). This inspired people in Britain. But plans for a British museum didn't happen right away. Some important old trains were even scrapped because there wasn't enough space.
From 1880, J. B. Harper of the North Eastern Railway collected many items. These were shown at a big railway celebration in 1925. This collection then became the basis of a museum opened in York in 1928.
At first, the museum displayed trains on short tracks. This was like traditional museums. But when the NRM was created, it became a museum where large trains could easily move in and out.
The collection was mostly from the North Eastern Railway. Other big railway companies didn't show much interest at first. But eventually, some of their trains were added.
When British railways became nationalized in 1948, it was a chance for a better plan. A report in 1951 suggested keeping the York museum. It also suggested a large museum in London. The Museum of British Transport opened in London in 1961.
A list of trains to be saved was made. Many were stored in sheds or loaned to local museums. The 'Steam' Museum at Swindon still shows many items from the National Collection.
In 1968, it was decided that a new National Railway Museum would be created. It would be a branch of the National Museum of Science and Industry. This was the first English national museum outside London.
The new museum was built in a former locomotive shed in York. The old museums in York and London closed in 1973. Some items from London went to the London Transport Museum. Items from the old York museum and other places moved to the new NRM. The creation of the York museum was led by its first keeper, John Coiley.
Growing and Changing: 1975–2000
The museum was opened by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in 1975. This was also the 150th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway. The new museum showed more passenger coaches and non-steam trains. A popular new exhibit was a Merchant Navy Class locomotive. It was cut open to show how a steam engine works. The museum had over a million visitors in its first year!
In 1979, the museum celebrated 100 years of food on trains. It also had an exhibition about 100 years of electric trains. This showed the museum's important electric train collection.
Also in 1979, the museum built a working copy of Stephenson's Rocket. This was for the 150th anniversary of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. This Rocket has since been shown at events all over the world.
Another working copy was added in 1985. It was a copy of the Iron Duke locomotive. This was for the 150th anniversary of the Great Western Railway.
In 1990, the Railway Series Thomas the Tank Engine books were added to the NRM's collection. These books helped keep children interested in railways.
In 1990, the main museum building needed big repairs. So, the museum moved some trains to another building. This was called The Great Railway Show. Some exhibits also went on tour.
Meanwhile, the main building was completely rebuilt. It reopened on April 16, 1992, as the Great Hall. This new space allowed for bigger exhibits. These included railway signals and a footbridge. The old goods shed display was kept as the Station Hall.
In 1995, the museum teamed up with the University of York. They created a research center for railway studies. The museum also works with York College to teach railway skills.
In 1996, the Museum Garden was created. It has a small ridable miniature railway for visitors. A playground was also added.
In 1999, the museum replaced some older buildings with "The Works." This new area has a "Workshop" for repairing trains. The "Workshop Gallery" lets visitors watch this work. The "Working Railway Gallery" shows how trains operate today. It even has a balcony overlooking York railway station. There is also a "Warehouse" for storing items.
New Things in the 21st Century
The Museum Inclinator was built to help people move between floors. It was like a small funicular railway. It showed how these railways work. However, it stopped working and was removed in 2013.
In 2004, the museum had many big events. A major "Railfest" celebrated several railway anniversaries. Another Railfest happened in 2008 with a 1960s theme.
The Locomotion museum opened in Shildon in 2004. It provides covered space for more trains from the collection. Also in 2004, the museum bought Flying Scotsman. It arrived at the museum during Railfest.
The first part of "Search Engine" opened in late 2007. This new center makes it easy to access the museum's library and archives.
From July to August 2008, the museum hosted a play. It was E. Nesbit's The Railway Children. It was very popular. The museum provided trains for later performances in London and Toronto.
Big plans called "NRM+" were made to improve the Great Hall. However, these plans were canceled in 2011 due to funding issues. But major changes to the displays in the Station Hall began later in 2011.
In 2012, the NRM brought two LNER A4 class steam locomotives back from North America. These were 60008 Dwight D Eisenhower and 60010 Dominion of Canada. They were part of the Mallard 75th anniversary event in 2013. The trains were cleaned up to look their best.
The same year, the NRM created an iPhone App. It let people traveling between London and Edinburgh see museum objects related to their journey. This app is no longer available.
In December 2012, it was announced that a new annex to the museum would be built. It would be near Leicester North station.
Funding Challenges
In June 2013, the museum faced money problems. There was a possible 10% cut to the Science Museum Group's funding. This led to worries about closing parts of the museum or charging for entry. But after a public campaign, the government announced a smaller 5% cut. This helped save the museum.
How the Museum Works
Some people have criticized the museum. They say it doesn't focus enough on modern trains. Or that it cares more about making money than about learning. The museum says it has to work with limited money. Its government funding is less than other big museums. So, it depends on events like the Yorkshire Wheel to raise money.
The museum can get old railway items from the Railway Heritage Committee. It can be hard to decide what new items to add to the collection. This is because there are so many different types of railway items.
In the past, the museum treated its trains like they were still in service. They would often repair and restore them. Many of the museum's locomotives have run on main lines or heritage railways. More recently, the museum has tried to do less restoration. This means some exhibits might not run anymore.
The museum's handling of the Flying Scotsman overhaul was criticized in 2012.
Since 1977, the Friends of the National Railway Museum group has supported the museum. They give money and help. For example, they helped pay to restore Duchess of Hamilton.
The "Great Railway Show" won the Museum of the Year award in 1990. In 2001, the museum won the European Museum of the Year Award. It has also won other awards for tourism and heritage.
Online Museum Access
The National Railway Museum website helps visitors plan their visit. The museum also wants to make its collections available online. It has put some recordings from the National Archive of Railway History on its website.
The "Search Engine" archives are also becoming more accessible online. They provide lists and catalogs for researchers. They also add low-resolution copies of drawings online. The library collection can be searched through the University of York library catalog. All of the museum's trains and many other items are also on the website.
The National Railway Museum is also on other websites. You can order copies of its posters and photos online. The museum also has a presence on the National Preservation forums. Here, staff can talk directly with visitors and get feedback. Museum staff also write a blog on WordPress.com. They share stories about behind-the-scenes work.
Locomotives You Can See
Here are some of the museum's locomotives:
- Operational steam locomotives
- SR Schools class 4–4–0 No. 925 Cheltenham. This train is currently working on the Mid Hants Railway.
- LNER Class A3 4–6–2 60103 Flying Scotsman. This famous train was restored and returned to steam in 2016. It was overhauled again and ran for its 100th birthday in 2023.
- Steam locomotives being repaired or stored
- SR Lord Nelson Class 4–6–0 No. 850 Lord Nelson. Currently at the Mid Hants Railway. It needs boiler repairs.
- SR N15 Class 4–6–0 No. 30777 Sir Lamiel. This train is being repaired at the Great Central Railway.
- Great Central Railway O4 Class 2–8–0 No. 63601. It is currently at the Great Central Railway. It has been waiting for repairs since 2012.
- British Railways Standard Class 7 "Britannia" 4–6–2 70013 Oliver Cromwell. This train was repaired between 2004 and 2008. It is now at Loughborough for more repairs.
- Steam locomotives on static display
- Stephenson's 0–2–2 Rocket. The museum has two copies of Rocket. One can run, and the other is cut open to show its parts. The original Rocket is in London.
- NER No. 66 Aerolite. This train has been on display in York since 1934.
- GWR 4000 Class 4–6–0 4003 Lode Star. This train returned to the NRM in 2015.
- LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 5000. This train is on static display.
- LNWR G Class ("Super D") 0–8–0 No. 49395. It is currently on display at Locomotion, Shildon.
- LNER Class A4 4–6–2 4468 Mallard. This famous train ran for a while in 1986. Now it's on static display. It's very popular, so it's unlikely to run again.
- SR Class Q1 0–6–0 No. C1. This train is on static display. It might return to the Bluebell Railway to be used again.
- BR Standard Class 9F 2–10–0 92220 Evening Star. This was the very last steam locomotive built for British Railways. It is on static display and is not expected to run again.
- LMS Princess Coronation Class 4–6–2 6229 Duchess of Hamilton. This train returned to the NRM in 2009. It was displayed in a special exhibit.
- Steam locomotives located away from York
- GWR 3700 Class 4–4–0 3440 City of Truro. This train is on loan to the Museum of the Great Western Railway in Swindon.
- GWR 6000 Class 4–6–0 6000 King George V. This train is also on loan to the Museum of the Great Western Railway in Swindon.
- LNER Class V2 2–6–2 4771 Green Arrow. This train was a popular working engine for many years. It is now at the Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery. It needs a lot of repairs.
Museum Leaders
| Head | Served |
|---|---|
| John A. Coiley | 1974–1992 |
| Andrew Dow | 1992–1994 |
| Andrew J. Scott | 1994–2010 |
| Steve Davies | 2010–2012 |
| Paul Kirkman | 2012–2017 |
| Judith McNicol | 2017– |
See also
In Spanish: Museo Nacional del Ferrocarril de York para niños
- List of British railway museums
- List of railway museums worldwide
