The National Railway Museum, York

The National Railway Museum in York is one of the largest railway museums in the world and a paradise for train lovers. In huge halls next to York station, hundreds of locomotives and carriages tell almost two centuries of railway history, a story that began in Britain. There are Queen Victoria's royal carriages, the fastest steam locomotive in the world, Mallard, and even a Japanese bullet train. Entry is free.

History

Britain is the home of the railway: in 1825 the Stockton and Darlington Railway opened, the first public railway to use steam locomotives, and in 1830 the Liverpool and Manchester, the first modern passenger line. York soon became a major railway junction. The museum opened in 1975, bringing together the historic collections of the railway companies in a former engine shed. Today it is part of the Science Museum Group and has a sister site, Locomotion, at Shildon in County Durham.

What to see

The Great Hall

The Great Hall, the former engine shed, is dominated by a large turntable surrounded by locomotives from every era. Here you will find Mallard, the blue streamlined locomotive built in Doncaster, which in 1938 reached 126 mph (203 km/h), a world record for a steam locomotive that still stands. Next to it you can see a replica of George Stephenson's Rocket, one of the first modern locomotives, and the Shinkansen, the Japanese bullet train, the only one on display outside Japan. The famous Flying Scotsman belongs to the museum, but often travels around the country on special trains.

Station Hall

Station Hall, a former goods station, houses the royal carriages: you can see up close Queen Victoria's saloons on rails, with their silk furnishings and fine woods, and those of Edward VII and Queen Elizabeth II. There are also dining cars, mail vans and all the charm of old stations.

Wonderlab and the workshops

Wonderlab, opened in 2023, is an interactive gallery where children and young people discover railway engineering through experiments and games. From the workshop balcony you can watch technicians at work restoring historic locomotives. Outside, in the summer months, a small train takes visitors along a short stretch of track.

Practical information

Entry is free, but at busy times it is best to book a time slot online. There are cafés, a restaurant and a shop. The museum is very family-friendly, with spacious and accessible halls. Up-to-date opening times are on the official website.

Getting there

• By train: the museum is a few minutes' walk from York station; from London King's Cross in under two hours.
• From the centre: about 15 minutes on foot, passing by the city walls.
• By air: Leeds Bradford Airport is about an hour away; see also Manchester.

Nearby

• The centre of York, with the Minster, the walls and the Shambles.
• The Locomotion railway museum at Shildon and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, a historic steam line.
• See also trains and transport and the Industrial Revolution.

Tips

• How long: at least two to three hours, half a day for enthusiasts.
• When to go: all year round; it is perfect on rainy days too.
• A tip: check on the website whether Flying Scotsman is on display during your visit, as it is often away on tour.

National Railway Museum on the map

Nearby