This weekend Sarah and I took the opportunity for a pre-Christmas weekend break to York. One of the attractions we decided to visit was the National Railway Museum.

Both of us had visited this museum before, but for us both it was quite a while ago. And it has changed!

We began our tour by visiting the Station Hall. The first train we came across was Gladstone. This was Queen Victoria’s ‘Palace on wheels’ and was the most famous and popular of the royal carriages.

The Station Hall also includes a restaurant, however, it was too soon to eat!

Instead, we on to the Great Hall. This was what we both remembered from our previous visits.

We started with the modern – Eurostar and Japan’s Bullet train.

Before moving back to the locomotives of the past.

One of the exhibits is a working replica of  Robert Stephenson’s Rocket, the steam train that pulled the first passenger service between Liverpool and Manchester.

The National Railway Museum is home to a number of famous trains, including the Flying Scotsman. This was (and still is), of course, the name of the famous rail service between Edinburgh and London. We walked around the exhibition celebrating the service.

There is also a warehouse of railway memorabilia. It is a treasure trove of something like a million items.

And there is a section called ‘The Works’. This is a working engine shed. Currently, it is the home of the famous Pacific A4 Sir Nigel Gresley, built in 1937, which is being overhauled over three years.

Another famous Pacific A4 train at the museum is the Mallard. This is the train that set, and still holds, the steam locomotive world speed record.

The  National Railway Museum is well worth a visit. There is plenty for everyone to see and enjoy. There are memories here for everyone, no matter what age you are. Best of all … it’s FREE!