National Railway Museum
186339
224240740
2008-07-07T23:17:03Z
Peter L
35961
[[Category:National railway museums]]
{{dablink|This article is about the British National Railway Museum. For other national railway museums see [[National Railway Museum (disambiguation)]]}}
{{Infobox Museum
|name = National Railway Museum
|image = rmsign.jpg
|established = 1975
|location = Leeman Road, [[York]], [[England]]
|type = [[Railway museum]]
|visitors = 744,000 annually<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrm.org.uk/visitor/annualreview.asp|title=NRM Annual Reviews|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref>
|director = Andrew Scott
|website = [http://www.nrm.org.uk/ NRM website]
|network = NMSI
}}
The '''National Railway Museum''' (NRM) is a [[museum]] in [[York]] forming part of the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[National Museum of Science and Industry]] and telling the story of [[rail transport]] in Britain and its impact on society. It has won many awards including European Museum of the Year in 2001. It is the home of the National Collection of historically significant railway vehicles and other artefacts.
== Overview ==
The NRM in York displays a collection of over 100 [[locomotive]]s and nearly 200 other items of [[rolling stock]], virtually all of which either ran on the railways of [[Great Britain]] or were built there. Also on the 20 [[acre]] (8 [[hectare]]) site are many hundreds of thousands of other items of social, technical, artistic and historical interest, exhibited mostly in three large halls of a former motive power depot next to the [[East Coast Main Line]], near [[York railway station]]. It is the largest museum of its type in the world. It also has more visitors than any other British museum outside London.
The NRM was established on its present site, the former York North locomotive depot, in 1975, when it took over the former [[British Rail]]ways collection located in [[Clapham]] and the York Railway Museum located elsewhere in the city; since then, the collection has continued to grow.
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<center>
[[Image:NRM Great Hall merge2.jpg|thumb|600px|none|A panorama of locomotives arranged around the turntable in the Great Hall.]]
</center>
The museum is a short walk from the railway station in York, either on the road or via a staircase from the rear of the platforms. A "roadtrain" runs from the city centre (near [[York Minster]]) to the museum on Leeman Road. [[York Park and Ride]] also serve the museum from the car park entrance, on Line 2 (Rawcliffe Bar-York). Admission to the museum has been free for a number of years. It is open daily from 10am to 6pm.
[[Shildon Locomotion Museum|Locomotion]] – the National Railway Museum in [[Shildon]], [[County Durham]] was opened in 2004 and is operated by the NRM in conjunction with [[Sedgefield (borough)|Sedgefield Borough Council]]. It houses more of the National Collection in a new building and a historic site around the former workshop of [[Timothy Hackworth]] and attracts a further 100,000 visitors annually.
<gallery>
Image:31018BRD.JPG|[[British Rail Class 31|Class 31]] No. 31018 - On display in the Great Hall
Image:NRM_Shinkansen.jpg| A Japanese [[0 Series Shinkansen|"Bullet Train"]] on display at the NRM
Image:Hogwarts_Express_at_York.jpg|[[Hogwarts Express]] visits the museum in 2004
</gallery>
== National Collection ==<!--'National Collection' redirects here-->
{{see also|List of locomotives in the UK National Collection}}
There are approximately 280 [[rail vehicles]] in the National Collection, with around 100 being at York at any one time and the remainder divided between [[Shildon Locomotion Museum|Locomotion]] at [[Shildon]] and other museums and [[heritage railway]]s. The earliest are [[wagonway]] vehicles of about 1815. The permanent display includes "Palaces on Wheels", a collection of [[Royal Train]] saloons from [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]]'s early trains through to those used by [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]] up to the 1970s, among them some of the first rail vehicles to be set aside for preservation.<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Kumar, Amba|title=Stately Progress: Royal Train Travel since 1840|publisher=National Railway Museum|location=York|year=1997|isbn=1-872826-09-1}}</ref><ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Jenkinson, David|coauthors=Townend, Gwen|title=Palaces on Wheels: Royal Carriages at the National Railway Museum|publisher=H.M.S.O|location=London|year=1981|isbn=0-11-290366-5}}</ref><ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Ellis, C. Hamilton|title=Royal Journey|publisher=British Transport Commission|location=London|date=1953}}</ref><!--
--> Other key exhibits normally to be seen at York include the 1846 [[Furness Railway No. 3]] "Coppernob" locomotive, and the more modern express passenger [[steam locomotive]]s [[London and North Eastern Railway]] [[LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman|Class A3 No. 4472 ''Flying Scotsman'']] (added to the collection in 2004),<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Hughes, Geoffrey|title=''Flying Scotsman'': the people’s engine|publisher=Friends of the National Railway Museum Enterprises|year=2004|isbn=0-9546685-3-7}}</ref><ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Roden, Andrew|title=Flying Scotsman|location=London|publisher=Aurum|date=2007|isbn=978-1-84513-241-5}}</ref><!--
--> its streamlined sister [[LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard|Class A4 No. 4468 ''Mallard'']] and [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway]] [[LMS Princess Coronation Class 6229 Duchess of Hamilton|Princess Coronation Class No. 6229 ''Duchess of Hamilton'']].<ref>{{cite book|author=Blakemore, Michael and Rutherford, Michael|title=46229 Duchess of Hamilton|publisher=Newburn House|year=1984}}</ref> ''Flying Scotsman'' is among the exhibits intended for operation on the [[National Rail]] network from time to time.
<gallery>
Image:Flying Scostman, BR livery.jpg|''[[LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman|Flying Scotsman]]'' painted in the darker [[British Rail|BR]] green livery it wore when withdrawn in 1963
Image:Mallard_Record_Plate.jpg|''[[LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard|Mallard]]'' record plate
Image:46229_Crewe_Open_Weekend_2005.jpg|[[LMS Princess Coronation Class 6229 Duchess of Hamilton|46229]] at [[Crewe railway works]] open weekend, 2005
Image:Leeman.JPG Statue of [[George Stephenson]] in the main hall
</gallery>
The museum has imported several major vehicles for display: the [[Rail transport in the People's Republic of China|Chinese]] Class KF locomotive donated in 1981 was built in Britain and the ''[[Wagons-Lits]]'' [[sleeping car]] donated in 1980 had been used on the Paris-London ''[[Night Ferry]]'' service. The single exception to the rule of exhibits associated with Britain is the Japanese [[0 Series Shinkansen]] ''Bullet Train'' leading vehicle which was donated to the museum by the [[West Japan Railway Company]] in 2001 and which now forms part of an award-winning display, and the only Bullet Train outside Japan.
Rail vehicles on display are exchanged from time to time with other organisations, and examples of new-build stock from the current industry sometimes visit the museum for short periods.
Other physically large exhibits are the [[Stockton and Darlington Railway]] Gaunless Bridge and several stationary winding engines used on railway inclines.
The many other two and three-dimensional elements of the collection include signalling equipment, road vehicles, ship models, [[poster]]s, engineering drawings and other artwork,<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Roe, Sonia (ed.)|title=Oil paintings in public ownership in North Yorkshire|publisher=Public Catalogue Foundation|location=London|year=2006}}</ref><!--
--> [[Edmondson railway ticket|tickets]], nameplates, staff uniforms, [[clock]]s, [[watch]]es, [[furniture]] and equipment from railway companies' [[hotel]]s, refreshment rooms and offices (including company [[Seal (device)|seals]]) and a wide range of models, some of which are operated on the museum's [[O scale]] [[Rail transport modelling|model railway]] (originated in 1982).<ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|title=Treasure in Reserve|journal=Railway Magazine|pages=41–52|date=1993 June}}</ref>
The museum is also the repository for a large collection of mechanical engineering drawings from railway workshops and for official photographs. Thanks largely to the initiative of the late R. C. (Dick) Riley, these have been supplemented by the collections of a number of amateur photographers such as [[Eric Treacy]] and [[H. Gordon Tidey]].<ref><!--
Copies of many of these engineering drawings are sold to the heritage railway movement to assist with their restoration efforts.
-->{{cite book|author=Bartholomew, Ed & Blakemore, Michael|title=Railways in Focus: photographs from the National Railway Museum collection|publisher= Atlantic|location=Penryn|date=1998|isbn=0-906899-91-5}}</ref><ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Garratt, Colin (ed.)|title=Great Railway Photographers: Maurice Earley|publisher=Milepost|location=Newton Harcourt|year=1996|isbn=1-900193-60-4}}</ref><ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Garratt, Colin (ed.)|title=Great Railway Photographers: E. R. Weathersett|publisher=Milepost|location=Newton Harcourt|year=1996|isbn=1-900193-65-5}}</ref><ref name="Harris - photo"><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Harris, Nigel|title=The National Railway Museum Photographic Archive|journal=Steam World|volume=51|pages=6–13|date=1991 Sept.}}</ref><!--
--> The museum’s own photographers have also worked on projects recording the contemporary railway, including the [[Channel Tunnel]] construction. In 1999/2000 the Museum began to collect recordings of former railway staff for a '''National Archive of Railway Oral History'''. It has also been given the archive of steam train recordings by [[Peter Handford]].<ref><!--
-->{{cite news|author=Sloman, Tony|title=Peter Handford|work=The Independent|date=[[2007-11-30]]|
url=http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article3209847.ece|accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref> The museum library houses a significant collection of railway periodicals,<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|title=National Railway Museum Library Serials Collection|date=1993}}</ref> [[Public transport timetables|timetables]] and official publications. The new Search Engine facility and archive has made these available for study and enjoyment to a wider range of visitors from early 2008.
== Origins ==
Although there had been amateur attempts to establish a national railway museum from the late 19th century<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Steel, Ernest A. and Elenora H.|title=The Miniature World of Henry Greenly|publisher=Model & Allied Publications|location=Kings Langley|year=1973|isbn=0-85242-306-3|pages=45-8}}</ref><!--
--> the official impetus came from two sources. The first was the establishment of what became the [[Science Museum (London)]] collection by the Patent Office;<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Liffen, John|editor=Lewis, M. J. T. (ed.)|title=Early Railways 2|year=2003|publisher=Newcomen Society|location=London|isbn=0-904685-13-6|pages=202-20|chapter=The Patent Office Museum and the beginnings of railway locomotive preservation}}</ref><!--
--> this included the locomotive ''Agenoria'' (sister to ''[[Stourbridge Lion]]'') which was outhoused to York at an early date. The other strand derived from the [[North Eastern Railway (UK)|North Eastern Railway]] as successors to the historic [[Stockton and Darlington Railway]]. From 1880, J. B. Harper of the N.E.R. had been collecting material much of which was exhibited on the occasion of the S.& D.R. centenary in 1925;<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=London & North Eastern Railway|title=Catalogue of the Collection of Railway Relics and Modern Stock at Faverdale, Darlington|publisher=L.N.E.R|year=1925}}</ref><!--
--> and which then formed the basis of a museum opened at [[York]] by the [[London and North Eastern Railway]] in 1928 under the curatorship of E. M. Bywell. The smaller exhibits were housed in the old station buildings and the rolling stock and other large exhibits in former workshops.<ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Household, H. G. W.|title=The Railway Museum, London & North Eastern Ry., York|journal=Locomotive|volume=33-4|pages=332–4, 387–9, 49–52|date=1927-8}}</ref><ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Appleby, Ken|title=Britain’s Rail Super Centres – York|publisher=Ian Allan|location=Shepperton|year=1993|isbn=0-7110-2072-8}}</ref><!--
--><ref>{{cite book|author=Hopkin, Dieter|editor=Evans, A. K. B. and Gough, J. V. (ed.)|title=The Impact of the Railway on Society in Britain|year=2003|publisher=Ashgate|location=Aldershot|isbn=0-7546-0949-9|pages=243-58|chapter=The North Eastern Railway Museum York – 'the germ of a truly National Railway Museum'}}</ref> These were supplemented by material from other railway companies, for example [[London, Brighton and South Coast Railway]] [[LB&SCR B1 Class|B1 Class]] ''Gladstone'', donated by the [[Stephenson Locomotive Society]] and [[GWR 3700 Class 3440 City of Truro|''City of Truro'']] from the [[Great Western Railway]],<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Harris, Nigel (ed.)|title=City of Truro, a locomotive legend|publisher=Silver Link Publishing|location=Carnforth|year=1985|isbn=0-947971-02-5}}</ref><!--
--> but other relics were retained in company workshops and offices and some were destroyed.<ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Barker, R.|title=Lost preserved railway rolling stock|journal=Transport History|volume=9|pages=100–9|date=1978}}</ref>
<gallery>
Image:214 B1 Gladstone.jpg|214 ''Gladstone''
Image:GWR 3440 'City of Truro' approaching Cheltenham Racecourse.jpg|''City of Truro'' on the [[Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway]]
Image:790 "Hardwicke" Rainhill 150.jpg|[[London and North Western Railway]] 790 ''Hardwicke'' with Royal train in [[Rainhill Trials]] 150th anniversary calvacade, 1980
</gallery>
The [[Nationalization|nationalisation]] of British transport in 1948 gave the opportunity for a more consolidated approach and a report was produced by the [[British Transport Commission]] in 1951.<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|title=The Preservation of Relics and Records: report to the British Transport Commission|publisher=British Transport Commission|location=London|year=1951}}</ref><!--
--> Amongst other things this recommended a curator be appointed for the Commission’s holdings (John M. Scholes), retention of the York museum, creation of other regional museums (not carried out in the way proposed), a small relics display in the old Great Hall at [[Euston railway station]] (done on a temporary basis) and a large museum of collections elsewhere in London. For the latter, the former station at [[Nine Elms]] was originally favoured as a site, but what was eventually opened in 1961 was the '''Museum of British Transport''' in a former [[bus]] garage in [[Clapham]].<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Rolt, L. T. C.|title=Transport Treasures|publisher=British Transport Commission|location=London|year=1962}}</ref><ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Ellis, C. Hamilton|title=Popular Carriage|publisher=British Transport Commission|location=London|date=1954}}</ref><!--
--> An official list of locomotives for preservation was compiled,<ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Skeat, W. O.|title=The Consultative Panel and the transport museums|journal=Journal of the Stephenson Locomotive Society|volume=42|pages=263–73|date=1966}}</ref><ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Nock, O. S.|title=Historical Steam Locomotives|publisher=A. & C. Black|location=London|year=1959}}</ref><ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author= Nock, O. S.|title=Steam Locomotive|publisher=British Transport Commission|location=London|date=1955}}</ref><!--
--> and many were stored in sheds and works throughout the country, others being placed on loan to local authority museums. The [[Swindon Steam Railway Museum|'Steam' Museum]] at [[Swindon]] still displays a large number of items from the National Collection.
The modernisation of [[British Rail]] by the end of the 1960s made it seem inappropriate for it to be running a museum, and a campaign was led by transport historian [[L. T. C. Rolt]] and others to create a new museum.<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Rolt, L. T. C.|title=Landscape with figures|publisher=Alan Sutton|location=Stroud|year=1992|isbn=0-86299-998-7|pages=217-21}}</ref><!--
--> Agreement was reached under terms in the Transport Act 1968 for B.R. to provide premises converted from the former locomotive [[roundhouse]] at York North (rebuilt in the 1950s) to be occupied by a National Railway Museum which would be a branch of the [[National Museum of Science and Industry]] and the first English [[national museum]] outside London (some items were retained in the capital and formed the basis of the [[London Transport Museum]] in Covent Garden. A [[Sainsbury's]] [[supermarket]] now stands on the Clapham site). Exhibits from the previous museums at York and Clapham were moved to the new site supplemented by vehicles taken from storage in [[Brighton]] and elsewhere and restored. Creation of the York museum was largely in the hands of its first keeper, Dr John Coiley,<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Divall, Colin|chapter=Coiley, John Arthur
(1932–1998)|title=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|publisher=Oxford University Press|date=2004|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/69817|accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref><!--
--> his deputy Peter Semmens,<ref><!--
-->{{cite news|title=Peter Semmens|work=Daily Telegraph|date=[[2007-04-09]]|url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/news/2007/04/03/db0302.xml|accessdate=2007-08-17}}</ref><!--
--> John van Riemsdijk of the Science Museum and [[David Jenkinson]].<ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=van Riemsdijk, John|title=David Jenkinson|journal=Backtrack|volume=18|date=2004|pages=508–9}}</ref>
== Growth 1975-2000 ==
[[Image:NRM line up.jpg|left|thumb|Locomotives arranged around the turntable in the Great Hall.]]
The museum was opened by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]] in 1975. The opening coincided with the 150th anniversary celebrations of the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, for which several working exhibits were provided. By comparison with the museum’s predecessors coverage of ordinary [[passenger car (rail)|passenger coaches]] and non-steam motive power was enhanced, but a popular new exhibit was [[Southern Region of British Railways|ex-Southern Railway]] [[SR Merchant Navy Class|Merchant Navy Class]] No. 35029 ''Ellerman Lines'' [[Archaeological section|sectioned]]<!--nearest to meaning I could find!--> to show the workings of a steam locomotive. The new museum received over a million visitors in its first year and was favourably received by critics.<ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Cossons, Neil|title=The National Railway Museum, York|journal=Museums Journal|volume=76|pages=63–5|date=1976}}</ref><ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Simmons, Jack|title=Dandy-Cart to Diesel: the National Railway Museum|publisher=H.M.S.O|location=London|year=1981|isbn=0-11-290299-9}}</ref>
Significant events of 1979 were the restoration of a train of appropriate vehicles to mark the centenary of on-train catering<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|title=Centenary Express: a guide to the National Railway Museum Catering Centenary Train|publisher=H.M.S.O|year=1979}}</ref><ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Jenkinson, David|coauthors=St John-Smith, Emma|title=The National Railway Museum Catering Centenary Train|journal=Yesteryear Transport|volume=3|date=1980 Winter|pages=84–7}}</ref><!--
--> and an exhibition to mark the centenary of [[railway electric traction]] which drew attention to the museum's important collections in this area.<ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Gibbon, R. H.|title=The electric traction exhibits of the National Collection|journal=Friends of the National Railway Museum Newsletter|volume=75|pages=14–18|date=1996 May}}</ref><!--
--> Also in 1979 the museum commissioned a working replica of [[Stephenson's Rocket]] for the following year’s [[Liverpool and Manchester Railway]] 150th anniversary.<ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Satow, M. G.|title=Rocket reborn|journal=Railway Magazine|volume=125|pages=472–4|date=1979}}</ref><!--
--> This has since represented the museum at events around the world.
[[Image:Replica rocket.jpg|thumb|Replica [[Stephenson's Rocket|''Rocket'']]]]
Another working replica was added to the collection for the 150th anniversary of establishment of the [[Great Western Railway]] in 1985: that of the 7 ft 0¼ in (2140 mm) [[Rail gauge|Broad Gauge]] locomotive [[GWR Iron Duke Class|''Iron Duke'']].
Concerns about the condition of the [[concrete]] roof structure on the main building brought forward major changes to the museum in 1990. To maintain a presence at York, the former York goods depot across Leeman Road, already in use as a museum store (the Peter Allen Building), was configured to display trains as if in a passenger station, and this together with the adjacent South Yard was marketed as '''The Great Railway Show'''.<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Blakemore, Michael|title=Great Railway Show at the National Railway Museum, York: souvenir booklet|publisher=National Museum of Science & Industry|year=1990}}</ref><!--
--> A further selection of exhibits formed the '''National Railway Museum on Tour''' on display for a season in the former [[Swindon Works]].<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Heap, Christine (ed.)|title= National Railway Museum on Tour – Swindon, 1990|publisher=National Museum of Science & Industry|year=1990}}</ref><!--
--> Meanwhile, the main building was completely re-roofed and reconstructed retaining only one of the two original 1954 [[Turntable (railroad)|turntables]].<ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Coiley, J. A.|title=York locoshed furore: NRM replies|journal=Steam Railway|volume=116|date=1989 December|pages=76}}</ref><!--
--> It was reopened in 1992 as the '''Great Hall''' giving enhanced opportunities to display large artefacts such as [[railway signals]], a [[Footbridge#Railways|footbridge]] and a segment from the [[Channel Tunnel]]. The former goods shed display was retained as the '''Station Hall'''.
[[Image:Railway signals.jpg|left|thumb|200px|[[#Semaphore signals|Semaphore railway signals]] in the Museum’s Great Hall]]
In 1995 the museum joined forces with the [[University of York]] to create an academic research base, the '''Institute of Railway Studies''' ('''and Transport History'''). It has also since partnered with [[York College (York)|York College]] to create the '''Yorkshire Rail Academy''' to teach vocational skills. The museum has also provided engineering [[apprenticeship]]s and participates in partnerships aimed at delivering heritage skills training.<ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Ashby, Helen|title=Teaching old dogs new tricks... and new dogs old tricks?|journal=National Railway Museum Review|volume=120|pages=11–12|date=2007 Summer}}</ref>
In 1996 the '''Museum Garden''' was created incorporating a 7¼ in (184 mm) [[Rail gauge|gauge]] [[ridable miniature railway]].
Continued concern over the condition of the remaining 1950s buildings on the site led to their replacement by '''The Works''' in 1999. This gave several functional areas: the '''Workshop''', for maintenance of rolling stock; the '''Workshop Gallery''', from which the public can look down on this work; a '''Working Railway Gallery''', giving an insight into current and recent operation including a balcony overlooking [[York railway station]] hosting a set of [[monitors]] showing live feeds from the monitors at York [[Integrated Electronic Control Centre|IECC]]; and the '''Warehouse''' which provides an innovative open storage area which has proved popular with both public and museum professionals.<ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Wright, David|title=3D|journal=National Railway Museum Review|volume=97|pages=22|date=2001 Autumn}}</ref>
== Developments in the 21st Century==
In order to provide step-free access to the Workshop Gallery, the [[National Railway Museum Inclinator|Museum Inclinator]] was constructed. Besides its primary function, this also serves to demonstrate the workings of a [[funicular railway]]. To that end its workings are exposed in the style of a larger open air funicular railway, rather than being concealed in the fabric of the building as is more normal for intramural lifts.<ref name=nrmpgreen><!--
-->{{cite web|url=http://www.nrm.org.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/2006/greenrailways.asp|title=Press Release - Green Railways|publisher=National Railway Museum|date=2006-05-23|accessdate=2007-10-04}}</ref>
2004 saw several major developments at the museum. Several railway anniversaries were celebrated by a major '''Railfest'''<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|title=Railfest: official souvenir programme|publisher=Steam Railway|year=2004}}</ref><ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Gwynne, Bob|title=Celebrating Rail: the story of Railfest|publisher=Nostalgia Road|location=Kendal|year=2005|isbn=1-903016-56-8}}</ref><!--
--> (another is projected for 2008). The [[Shildon Locomotion Museum|Locomotion]] museum was opened at [[Shildon]], [[County Durham]] providing undercover collection care facilities for more rail vehicles (particularly freight wagons) from the museum's collection. In addition, the museum had a high-profile campaign, supported by the [[National Heritage Memorial Fund]], to purchase [[LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman|''Flying Scotsman'']]<ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Scott, Andrew|title=How we saved the ''Flying Scotsman''|journal=Railway Magazine|volume=150|issue=1238|pages=14–19|date=June 2004}}</ref><!--
--> which arrived at the Museum as the climax of Railfest.
The first stage of a new centre providing easy access to the museum’s Library and Archives, called '''Search Engine''',<ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Foster, Richard (ed.)|title=Search Engine: opening the archives of the NRM|journal=Steam Railway|volume=324|date=June 2006-July 13}}</ref><ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Richards, Stephen|title=Changing the face of the National Railway Museum|journal=Steam Railway|volume=325|date=July 2006-10 August|pages=38–41}}</ref><!--
--> opened at the end of 2007. Major plans under the name '''NRM+''' are under way for refurbishing the Great Hall display, and there are other partnerships for development of the museum estate as '''York Central'''.<ref><!--
-->{{cite web|url=http://www.nrm.org.uk|title=NRM website|accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref>
== Policies ==
[[Image:York Wheel.jpg|thumb|right|upright|The [[Yorkshire Wheel]], sited at the NRM, is one of the museum's fund raising initiatives]]
Occasional criticisms of aspects of the museum, such as that it has devoted insufficient attention to modern traction;<ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Dunn, Pip|title=The NRM on the spot|journal=Railways Illustrated|volume=5|issue=6|pages=30–2|date=June 2007}}</ref><ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Smith, Ian R.|title=Bring them in from the cold!|journal=Heritage Railway|volume=92|pages=68–71|date=2006 Dec.}}</ref><!--
--> that it was neglecting scholarship in favour of commercialism;<ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Jenkinson, David|title=Quo vadis, NRM?|journal=Backtrack|volume=3|pages=99|date=1989}}</ref><!--
--> or that its photographic collections constitute a "black hole",<ref name="Harris - photo" /> do not always take into account the financial constraints under which the museum operates:<ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Courtney, Geoff|title=NRM is ‘poor relation’ of Britain’s state museums|journal=Heritage Railway|volume=92|pages=6|date=2006 Dec.}}</ref><!--
--> its Grant in Aid from the [[Department for Culture, Media and Sport]] amounts to £6.50 per visitor, which is used more cost-effectively but delivers much less overall income than for comparable London museums and it depends on money-making initiatives such as the [[Yorkshire Wheel]] set up within the museum in 2006 and visits from [[Thomas the Tank Engine]] as chronicled in ''[[List of Railway Series Books#Thomas and the Great Railway Show|Thomas and the Great Railway Show]]''. The museum has also suffered a few thefts of objects.<ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Courtney, Geoff|title=Four more thefts from NRM|journal=Heritage Railway|volume=96|pages=5|date=2007 Apr.}}</ref>
The museum can be allocated material from the railway industry by the Railway Heritage Committee. Because of the diversity of material falling potentially within the museum's collection policy and the problems of caring for it, decisions on acquisition of new items for the collection can be difficult.<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Heap, Christine J.|editor=Shorland-Ball, Rob (ed.)|title=Common Roots – Separate Branches: railway history and preservation|year=1994|publisher=Science Museum|location=London|isbn=0-901805-77-7|pages=153-5|chapter=The National Railway Museum, York}}</ref><ref><!--
-->{{cite journal|author=Ashby, Helen, Bartholomew, Ed and Rees, Jim|title=Electric Multiple Units in the National Collection|journal=National Railway Museum Review|volume=118|pages=13–14|date=2006/7 Winter}}</ref><!--
--> There has been a tradition within the museum of treating rolling stock as if it were still in railway service and unquestionably capable of undergoing heavy repairs and restoration, and many of the museum's locomotives have been operated in preservation, on the main line, [[heritage railway]]s or at the museum.<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Smith, Ian R.|title=Steam Alive: locomotives of the National Railway Collection in steam|publisher=FNRM|location=York|year=1993|isbn=0-952-23960-4}}</ref><ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Blakemore, Michael and Mosley, David|title=Great British Locomotives: National Railway Museum locomotives in action|publisher=Ian Allan|location=Shepperton|year=1997|isbn=0-7110-2400-6}}</ref><!--
--> More recently, there have been moves to less interventionist forms of conservation in some cases.<ref><!--
-->{{cite book|author=Hopkin, Dieter|editor=Shorland-Ball, Rob (ed.)|title=Common Roots – Separate Branches: railway history and preservation|year=1994|publisher=Science Museum|location=London|isbn=0-901805-77-7|pages=215-21|chapter=A commentary on restoration, conservation and the National Railway Museum collection}}</ref>
Since 1977, the '''Friends of the National Railway Museum''' have been in existence as a group to give financial and other support to the museum, such as financing the restoration of ''Duchess of Hamilton''.
The 1990 "Great Railway Show" won the Museum of the Year award and in 2001 the museum gained the [[European Museum of the Year Award]]. It has also won White Rose awards from the Yorkshire Tourist Board, and in recognition of the several major developments in 2004 was given the [[Heritage Railway Association]]'s Peter Manisty Award.<ref><!--
-->{{cite news|title=Museum receives award for its efforts|work=Northern Echo|date=[[2004-11-01]]|url= http://archive.thenorthernecho.co.uk/2004/11/1/34433.html|accessdate=2007-09-21}}</ref>
== Locomotives ==
These are a few of the Museum's steam locomotives (by date the design was introduced).
*[[Stephenson's Rocket]] 0-2-2 ''Rocket''. Two replicas are in the York collection, one built for operation and one sectioned. (The original is with the parent body, the Science Museum in London.)
*[[NER 66 Aerolite|NER No. 66 ''Aerolite'']]. On static display in York since 1934.
*[[GWR 3700 Class]] 4-4-0 [[GWR 3700 Class no. 3440 "City of Truro"|No. 3440 ''City of Truro'']]. In service and usually on loan to other railways or on the mainline; when it is not touring it is seen at York. Boiler certification expires in 2014.
*[[GWR 4000 Class]] 4-6-0 [[GWR 4000 Class 4003 Lode Star|No. 4003 ''Lode Star'']]. On static display.
*[[LNWR G Class]] ("Super D") 0-8-0 No. 49395. In service and usually on loan to other railways; when it is not touring it is stabled either at York or Crewe. Boiler certification expires in 2015.
*[[LNER Class A1/A3]] 4-6-2 [[LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman|No. 4472 ''Flying Scotsman'']]. Undergoing a major overhaul in the NRM workshops, expected to be completed by 2009.
*[[LSWR N15 Class]] 4-6-0 No. 30777 ''Sir Lamiel''. Currently kept at the [[Great Central Railway (preserved)|Great Central Railway]] where it is operational and sometimes comes to be serviced at York to work the Scarborough Spa Expresses. Boiler certification expires in 2016.
*[[SR Lord Nelson Class]] 4-6-0 No. 850 ''Lord Nelson''. Currently under repair in the Museum Workshop. Boiler certification expires in 2016.
*[[LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0]] [[LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 5000|No. 5000]]. On static display.
*[[LNER Class A4]] 4-6-2 [[LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard|No. 4468 ''Mallard'']]. Restored to steam for a time from 1986; now on static display. Unlikely to run again due to exhibit popularity and that all the A4s in the UK have been restored to working order.
*[[LNER Class V2]] 2-6-2 [[LNER Class V2 4771 Green Arrow|No. 4771/60800 ''Green Arrow'']]. After many years of being a popular operation engine, her boiler certificate was due to expire Spring 2008, but failed beforehand on the NYMR Railway. In need of extensive repairs to her one piece three cylinder block, she is unlikely to steam again due to cost and NRM policy. To be moved to Locomotion in Shildon for static display.
*[[LMS Princess Coronation Class]] 4-6-2 [[LMS Princess Coronation Class 6229 Duchess of Hamilton|No. 6229 ''Duchess of Hamilton'']]. Restored to steam for the first time in 1980 as [[London Midland Region of British Railways]] No. 46229. Currently at [[Tyseley Locomotive Works]] being returned to its streamlined form; could eventually be restored to working order; expected back in 2008.
*[[SR Class Q1]] 0-6-0 No. C1. On static display.
*[[Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns]] 0-4-0ST No. 15 ''Eustace Forth''. Outstationed at Locomotion, Shildon to help maintain a working locomotive presence there; planned to return early in 2008.
*[[BR standard class 9F]] 2-10-0 [[BR standard class 9F 92220 Evening Star|No. 92220 ''Evening Star'']], the last steam locomotive built for [[British Rail]]ways. On static display and not expected to return to working order, and in 2008 due to change places with ''[[GWR 6000 Class 6000 King George V|King George V]]'' at Swindon.
*[[NBR]] [[NBR K Class|K 'Glen' Class]] [[4-4-0]] No. 256 ''Glen Douglas''. Currently at the [[Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway]]. Due to never appear at the NRM.
This list is incomplete.
== Heads of museum ==
<center>
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!Head
!Served
|-
|Dr John A. Coiley||1974 - 1992
|-
|Andrew Dow||1992 - 1994
|-
|Andrew Scott CBE||1994 - present
|}
</center>
==References==
{{reflist}}
== Further reading ==
* {{cite book|author=Coiley, John (comp.)|title=Rocket to Eurostar: the National Railway Museum in camera|publisher=Atlantic|location=Penryn|date=1996|isbn=0-906899-70-2}}
* {{cite book|author=Cossons, Neil ''et al.'' (ed.)|title=Perspectives on Railway History and Interpretation|publisher=National Railway Museum|location=York|date=1992|isbn=1-872826-01-6}}
* {{cite book|author=Jenkinson, D. (ed.)|title=The National Railway Collection|publisher=Collins|location=London|date=1988|isbn=0-00-218215-7}}
* {{cite journal|author=Mullay, A. J.|title=Railways for posterity|journal=Backtrack|volume=21|pages=164–9|date=2007}}
* {{cite journal|title=NRM 25|journal=Railway Magazine|volume=146|issue=1194|pages=supplement|date=2000 Oct.}}
* {{cite book|author=Whitehouse, Alan|title=The World’s Largest Railway Museum: official guidebook|publisher=NMSI Trading|location=York|date=2006|isbn=978-1-900747-62-2}}
== See also ==
*[[List of British railway museums]]
==External links==
{{commons|National Railway Museum}}
* [http://www.nrm.org.uk/ NRM website]
* [http://www.nrm-events.org.uk/ NRM events website]
* [http://www.ssplprints.com/?ref=wiki&ad=sspl4 The official National Railway Museum print website] containing many vintage posters and prints from the museum's collections
* {{oscoor|SE593519_region:GB_scale:100000|Map sources for the National Railway Museum}}
* [http://www.fmschmitt.com/travels/England/york/RailwayMuseum/index.html Photo essay on museum's displays]
* [http://www.yorksteam.co.uk Photos of Steam Locos in York]
* [http://www.vintagecarriagestrust.org/surveystatus.htm Railway Heritage Register On-Line]
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[[Category:Heritage railways in England]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Great Britain]]
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