National Railway Museum

Happy New Year! 🎉

Wishing you all a fantastic 2024, from the National Railway Museum.

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas! 🥳

From everyone here at the National Railway Museum 🎄

1786, railway engineer Timothy Hackworth was born in Wylam, Northumberland. In 1825, he moved to Shildon to take up position of locomotive superintendent, manager and contractor for the Stockton and Darlington Railway Company. During this time, he designed and built marine engines, coal stathes and doubled the line between Brusselton Foot and Stockton. Hackworth designed locomotives including Royal George and Sans Pareil. Sans Pareil is on display at Locomotion.

Read more about Timothy Hackworth here: https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/ap218/hackworth-timothy-1786-1850-railway-engineer

🌈🚂 - picture taken by one of the Locomotion staff this afternoon. 🥰😍

We can’t promise a rainbow, but there are still free museum entry tickets available on our website! 🚂🎟️

https://www.locomotion.org.uk/whats-on/flying-scotsman-christmas

⏰ Please check our opening times when planning your visit this festive season.

The museum will be closed 24–26 December 2023 🎄

We will reopen from 10.00 Wednesday 27 December.

Tonight's episode of Matt Baker: Christmas Travels with Mum and Dad was filmed in York!

During their trip they visited the National Railway museum.

Find out what they got up to at 9pm on More4📺

Important travel information if you're visiting Locomotion for the Flying Scotsman at Christmas event, which begins this Saturday! ⬇

Flying Scotsman Travel Information:

Our car park has very limited capacity due to ongoing work to develop the museum site, so please consider using one of the public transport options below. Should driving be your only option, two overflow car parks will be available approximately 10 minutes' walk away from the museum:

There are various ways to join us using other methods of transport and we have two overflow carparks approximately 10 minutes accessible walk from the museum.
🅿️ Railway Terrace and Victoria Street - Postcode: DL4 1PE, What3Words: ///retain.oddly.proven
🅿️ Blake Street - Postcode: DL4 2JF, What3Words: ///flames.quarrel.crust
🚞 We are a three-minute walk from Shildon railway station (SHD), served by Northern Rail trains from Darlington and Bishop Auckland.
🚌 Regular bus services run from Bishop Auckland and Darlington. Arriva number 1 (from Darlington) and number 5 (from Bishop Auckland) stop on Dale Road, just outside Locomotion.
🚶Locomotion is a 15-minute walk away from Shildon town centre and includes a walk down our heritage area of the site.
🚲 There are several cycle routes to our museum - with bike parking spots outside our museum.
For more travel information, please see our website.
https://www.locomotion.org.uk/visit/travel-information

3 Days until Flying Scotsman arrives at Locomotion!

Today's Scotsman fact of the day: Flying Scotsman was the first steam locomotive to reach the officially authenticated speed of 100 mph (30 Nov 1934) 🚂💨💨

🚂🎄 For more details about Flying Scotsman at Locomotion this Christmas, and to book your free tickets for our Flying Scotsman at Christmas event, please visit locomotion.org.uk/whats-on/flying-scotsman-christmas 🚂🎄

Photo: Filming the Flying Scotsman Crew for the 100mph run.

📸 One From the archives. Check out Euston station’s Christmas decorations back in the 1930's.

Anyone have any railway themed Christmas decorations?

9 days to go! We're counting down to our amazing Flying Scotsman at Christmas event, and each day we will share a fact about the world famous locomotive.

Today's fact - Following Great Northern Railway's absorption into London North Eastern Railway, Flying Scotsman was the first engine delivered to the newly formed LNER. It entered service on 24 February 1923, carrying the GNR number 1472.

🚂🎄 For more details about Flying Scotsman at Locomotion this Christmas, and to book your free tickets for our Flying Scotsman at Christmas event, please visit locomotion.org.uk/whats-on/flying-scotsman-christmas 🚂🎄

Image - Workers at Doncaster works, where Flying Scotsman was built.

"Some positive news from the York Central Partnership this week, with McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate being announced as developers: https://www.yorkcentral.info/.../developers-announced.../

Network Rail Homes England City of York Council National Railway Museum

"

Developers announced for York Central - York Central Homes England and Network Rail have announced the developers for York Central as McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate.

Gaunless Bridge is one of the world’s oldest surviving iron railway bridges.

With your support, we can help to conserve this revolutionary piece of engineering and put it on display, in pride of place, at Locomotion in Shildon.

Find out more: https://my.locomotion.org.uk/donate/i/gaunlesspublicappeal

LNER Class A3 4-6-2 No. 4472 "Flying Scotsman" has set records and travelled the world. It all began 1934. Flying Scotsman became the first steam locomotive to be officially recorded reaching 100 mph (161 km/h) on a special test run between London and Edinburgh. The test run proved to the LNER's directors that steam power could provide high speeds, negating a plan for the company to use diesel power on its high-speed services.

Locomotion is the last stop in the centenary tour celebration. Visit us for a special free event, Flying Scotsman at Christmas, 16 December 2023-7 January 2024. To find out more and to book, please visit: https://www.locomotion.org.uk/whats-on/flying-scotsman-christmas

Read about the history of Flying Scotsman here: https://www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/history-flying-scotsman

Climate Talks and Open Talks are back for 2024! Learn more about the science issues of our time in these free online talks.

In Jan & Feb, we explore the challenges posed by global warming in 3 new Climate Talks, from how climate change impacts worldwide food security, to the environmental opportunities and challenges of India’s green transition, to how we can solve the UK’s power grid problem.

From March-May, Open Talk returns – discussions exploring themes around race, identity and inequality in science. Discover how video games could boost mental health, what needs to be done to fix racial bias in genetic databases, and the historic stories of LGBTQ+ railway workers.

Join us for these urgent conversations – all tickets are free

Climate Talks ➡ https://bit.ly/3uAAOZ5
Open Talks ➡ https://bit.ly/40WNg1n

The National Railway Museum Online Shop is once again taking part in 🛍️

Get 10% off sitewide from now until Sunday 26 November. Shop the best Christmas gifts whilst supporting heritage at the same time.

Use code SHOPSUN23 at the checkout to claim your discount
👉 https://tinyurl.com/5n6k8pnd

📣 VERY exciting news! You can now book your free tickets to see Flying Scotsman at Locomotion in Shildon, County Durham this December.

Feel the magic this Christmas as you witness the famous locomotive in light steam ✨ Climb aboard into the cab, see the firebox alight and imagine being the driver!

Plus, enjoy lots of free family activities including children's craft sessions.

16 December 2023 - 7 January 2024.
🎟 https://www.locomotion.org.uk/whats-on/flying-scotsman-christmas

We will remember them.

On Friday, we laid a wreath at the York Railway War Memorial alongside other rail industry colleagues in remembrance of the service and sacrifices of so many.

If you are visiting the museum today, please be aware we will be observing the one minute of silence at 11.00am.

After the first two batches flew off our shelves, we are absolutely delighted to reintroduce our Flying Scotsman Whisky – Third Edition.

This limited edition 14-year-old Mannochmore whisky pays tribute to the Locomotive and the first direct London-Edinburgh service, with the iconic number “4472” and a tartan design incorporated into the label.

With only 100 numbered bottles available, secure yours today!

Now available at the National Railway Museum shop or online at https://tinyurl.com/mu3u95rt

KS2 TEACHERS! On 16 Nov we are hosting a FREE Teacher’s Event! Explore our Wonderlab gallery and discover how our learning programme supports your KS2 curriculum.

Guest speaker Dr Susan Scurlock, Founder of Primary Engineer, shares how to bring engineering into the classroom.

To register for the event, or to find more information, please visit: https://www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/learning/wonderlab-teacher-event

Our Curators answer YOUR questions!

Senior Curator Anthony Coulls and Dr. Thomas Spain respond to your questions in this very special episode of Curator with a Camera📸

Chatting all things APT-E, Winston Churchill and Stephenson's Rocket – this is one not to be missed!

🎥 Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwfJ1juvAps

Following a full mechanical inspection of Flying Scotsman which took place at Strathspey Railway this week, the locomotive has been passed fit for main line operation.

The investigation was carried out by an independent expert on behalf of Strathspey Railway, and the NRM’s collections and rail operations teams. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has confirmed it does not require the locomotive as part of its ongoing enquiries.

The Railway Touring Company excursions ‘The Highland Express’ on Saturday 7 October, ‘The Fife Circulars’ on Sunday 8 October and The Aberdeen Flyer on Tuesday 10 October, all departing from Edinburgh Waverley, will go ahead as planned. Passengers will be contacted by The Railway Touring Company with ticket information.

The safety of passengers and the public remains the highest priority and the independent investigation into the circumstances of the shunting incident involving Flying Scotsman on Friday 29 September will continue.

Future rail tours and centenary appearances including The Railway Touring Company excursions ‘The Hadrian’ on Saturday 14 October and the visit to the National Railway Museum over October half term will also go ahead.

Please note in common with other rail tours, details of Flying Scotsman’s journey on 8 October will not be shared in advance to deter trespass.

Following the shunting incident involving Flying Scotsman and the Royal Scotsman train carriages at Strathspey Railway on Friday 29 September, immediate action was taken by teams on the ground to alert the emergency services and prepare for a full investigation of the incident.

Standard procedures are being followed to assess what happened during the incident and inspections are taking place by an independent investigator on behalf of Strathspey Railway, and the NRM’s collections and rail operations teams. In addition, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has been notified.

The museum’s aim is to understand what happened and to determine if there is any damage to Flying Scotsman as its owner.

We will make further announcements about Flying Scotsman’s operating calendar and future dates, once investigations are complete.

The National Railway Museum wishes to thank the emergency services who attended the scene on Friday for their prompt response and to the staff and crew of the Strathspey Railway and the Royal Scotsman train.

We can confirm that on Friday 29 September at 18:15, a shunting incident occurred when the Flying Scotsman locomotive was being coupled with Belmond’s Royal Scotsman train carriages, which were stationary on heritage railway line, Strathspey Railway.

Flying Scotsman was visiting the railway as part of a planned excursion.

Emergency services attended the site to provide assistance. Two people attended hospital and were later released, with others being treated at the scene.
Appropriate authorities were notified immediately, and we are co-operating with their investigations.

Statement from Belmond and Strathspey Railway.

We can confirm that steam locomotive Flying Scotsman has been involved in a shunting incident at Aviemore Station. We will provide further information once more details are known.

1825, the Stockton & Darlington Railway (S&DR) opened.

The S&DR was the world's first public railway designed to use steam locomotives from the outset. The line was 26 miles long, and was built between collieries at Witton Park and Stockton, Shildon being the place that the locomotives took over hauling the trains from stationary steam winding engines.

Stephenson's steam locomotive and tender, S&DR No.1, 0-4-0 Locomotion, was used on the opening day, and is currently on display at Locomotion.

Read more here:
https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co205767/steam-locomotive-no-1-locomotion-stockton-darlington-railway-steam-locomotive

📣 New dates added in October for Scotland mainline steam tours, hauled by the iconic Flying Scotsman.

As part of it's 100th birthday celebrations, the public still have the chance to ride behind Flying Scotsman with these extra dates from 7 - 10 October 2023.

🎟 Book now for an experience of a lifetime, as you steam along Scotland's mainlines behind this legendary locomotive.

For more information visit www.railwaytouring.net

Want to learn more about the locomotives in our collection?

Join Senior Curator, Anthony Coulls, as he takes an in-depth look at a streamlined icon: Duchess of Hamilton.

📺 Watch the full episode by clicking below ⬇️

In-depth with Duchess of Hamilton: A Streamlined Icon | Curator with a Camera Curator Anthony Coulls takes an in-depth look at Duchess of Hamilton, the iconic 1930s streamliner and rival to Mallard. Duchess or Mallard? Check out our Ma...