please empty your brain below
The LNER dominance of the exhibits at York, and indeed the very presence of the museum at York, is explained by the management of the old North Eastern Railway having had a stronger sense of history than most of its competitors - perhaps because railways originated on its territory.

Non of the A4s at York have ever been to South Africa: the locomotive named after that country is actually normally based in Fife.

timbo | 17.07.13 - 7:32 a.m. | #

For steam loco fans: According to the NRM website, there'll be more chances to see all six later on this year (Oct-Nov-but Union of SA absent for a couple of those days)and then there's the "Great Goodbye" at Shildon in February. Both events free.

HoosierSands | Homepage | 17.07.13 - 9:21 a.m. | #

That 'temporary exhibition' of railway catering - including the 'how to make a sandwich' poster, which I loved - has been on since at least autumn 2011. Such wonderful social history is why I (and you I know) collect 'things' that most others would throw away.

Blue Witch | Homepage | 17.07.13 - 9:41 a.m. | #

Very pleased you made it up there.

There'll be a lot more non-train stuff as the years go by - cutback after cutback have seen "big projects" such as NRM+ cancelled. It's a fantastic museum and is truly the greatest railway museum in the world. In time there'll be a lot more about the context of the rolling stock itself. But remember, this is a museum beholden to the government for its investments - as a "National" museum it can't charge.

Also - do remember that a large number of the National Collection are now sent out around the UK so that it truly is a national museum - things like City of Truro (GWR) aren't on display here, but they're elsewhere to get to a wider audience. It'll be interesting to see which direction new Director Paul Kirkman takes the NRM next.

Tim Dunn | Homepage | 17.07.13 - 10:09 a.m. | #

Great read mate.

The missus wants us to visit 'the north' so I think this should be on our 'to do' list!

Rob

Robert Morris | Homepage | 17.07.13 - 11:33 a.m. | #

I understand there were about 7000 people there on the first day (July 3rd)!

I went there on July 4th and only had to queue for about 5 minutes. I had some difficulty taking unobstructed photos until later in the day and glare was also an issue.

Certainly a once-in-a-lifetime occasion!

John Simmons | 17.07.13 - 6:02 p.m. | #

Re: "And for the true railway-o-holic there's even an outdoor balcony where you can watch the trains pulling in and out of York station, and check the real-time signalling too."

Many moons ago I worked with a trainspotter who told us one Monday that he'd been to York at the weekend. Did you enjoy the museum, we asked. He hadn't been. Apparently it was a special 'spotters' train that went from London to York, pulled into some sidings that are usually reserved for goods trains and the passengers took photos and wrote down track serial numbers (or whatever - I'm not a spotter). They didn't get off as there was no platform, they just came straight back south.

Graham | 17.07.13 - 8:11 p.m. | #

And whilst we're on the subject of railways, thanks DG for yr recent post on the disused railway lines in Watford. I had a lovely walk along one last weekend (apart from the bits with all the dumped rubbish) and hope to repeat this at least a few times before the works start.

Graham | 17.07.13 - 8:15 p.m. | #

It is interesting that the Rail Museum has free entry but, as you blogged about the other day, Stonehenge charges an entry fee and Sailsbury Cathedral relies on 'voluntary donations'. Should national monuments and cathedrals receive the same funding as museums so they can have free entry as well? (

Whiff | 18.07.13 - 4:45 a.m. | #

I took my other half to York earlier this year for a weekend to celebrate our anniversary and she let me have an entire afternoon in the NRM. What a woman and what a museum!

THC | 18.07.13 - 9:03 a.m. | #

When I was young,it wasn't the National Railway Museum, just the Railway Museum. When it became National some engines previously exhibited in London, notably Stephenson's Rocket, were transferred there.

Whiff: I think cathedrals might be reluctant to accept government funding (though they do accept lottery funding on occasion) because it might bring with it government control over what they could do. As for Stonehenge, I have an idea they are trying deliberately to limit the number of people who can get in, as tourists trampling all over the site can have a damaging effect.

Andrew M | 18.07.13 - 2:57 p.m. | #

Oddly enough, I was also there the same day. It was busy. Very busy.

I'd been the year before, though, so didn't mind skipping a lot of the museum. It was the A4 gathering that I'd made the trip for!

Audrey | 18.07.13 - 4:37 p.m. | #











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