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Friday, May 16, 2014

The National Railway Museum, York...

One thing that was definitely on our 'to do' list was a visit to this museum in York. We were able to walk from our B&B to the complex that houses this huge museum. The path runs along the river bank and it is all so peaceful...

After 15 or so minutes, we could see a large building on the other side of the river...our destination!


So we crossed a very conveniently placed bridge and headed towards the entry...

Warning! Photo 'overload'!
We started in one of the exhibition halls but when an announcement came over the PA that there would be a turntable demonstration in the Great hall, we headed there...
Very ornate Royal Coat of Arms on this engine...
 This is the engine that is turned around during demonstrations during the day we were there...(the link from the website shows a different train)

The man in the red shirt ran the turntable demo...





After the demonstration we wandered around the Great Hall...it was just amazing how many engines/carriages/tenders etc were on display...




 There were some replicas of very extremely old engines...
 Not so old...but electric not steam...

The next 2 photos show a large Chinese steam locomotive; I am dwarfed by this behemoth... (yes I know I'm only 5ft 2 in, but still...)

 It was huge!

A better view of that old electric loco...
 Another old electric loco...
 Some of the interactive display areas...

 Some carriages on an old Liverpool to Manchester service... what do you reckon? The wealthy in the yellow carriage and the poorer classes in the standing only carriage at the back?

 Here are some more views of this historic train...

 And finally the tiny little engine...


Some more modern trains were on display too of course...such as this Japanese loco...
 The Eurostar...

How's this for sleek lines? The Duchess of Hamilton.


One of those quaint railway bridges has been rebuilt inside the Great Hall...


 Some photos taken from the bridge...



This old loco and carriage rescued but not as yet restored...


 Another view from the bridge...

From the bridge a view of the cafe nestled beside a tiny old steam engine which sits beside a sleek electric train...


Meanwhile back on ground level...a miniature train too!

One floor of a building in the museum complex is jam packed with railway ephemera as well as more substantial objects rescued from old stations etc...the photo shows a very small section.
 In that same building there is a viewing area to look out over the present day railway line...and a train came along in no time at all!

 Then we came back to exhibition hall where we had first started...there are some magnificently restored engines and rolling stock here...

 There is also another cafe/restaurant here...a bit fancier than the one in the Great Hall near the railway bridge.





I think this was part of the train used for royal travel during Queen Victoria's reign...



Then it was time to go out of the buildings to where the rides on a replica Rocket train...here's the previous group coming back into the 'station'...

No seats...just standing room only...the round trip only takes about 11 minutes...I don't think I would like to ride from Liverpool to Manchester in that carriage! It's a rough old ride...quite jerky!lol

The brick buildings in the background are obviously old railway sheds but of course now form part of the museum complex...

5 comments:

Sue Niven said...

Thanks for taking us along on your travels, I am loving it!

Fat Dormouse said...

What fun you had! I do like York and would like to go back to roam the shops (without Mr FD tutting and heaving heavy sighs!) Maybe I would leave him at the Railway Museum!!

Sue (this n that) said...

A train enthusiast's idea of heaven isn't it. Couldn't get over how big that train is that you're standing next to! They've packed everything into the Museum. I loved seeing all the objects rescued from old stations - great photos Maria :D)

Soma @ inkTorrents.com said...

Love trains! Thank you so much for sharing your photos!!

-Soma

Susan said...

That must be an enormous complex to house all these engines & carriages.
Thanks Maria.