National Railway Museum, Railway museum in York, England
The National Railway Museum occupies former York North locomotive depot buildings beside York station, with a Great Hall and a Station Hall, a former goods station of 1875–77, holding around 100 locomotives and rolling stock at a time. Exhibits include Mallard, Flying Scotsman, Duchess of Hamilton, a Japanese 0 Series Shinkansen and the 1846 Furness Railway No. 3 "Coppernob".
This museum opened in 1975 inside a former engine shed, timed to mark 150 years since the first public railway line ran between Stockton and Darlington. The Great Hall, its central building, originally served as a workshop where the North Eastern Railway maintained steam locomotives.
The royal train display, "Palaces on Wheels", gathers saloons from Queen Victoria's early trains to those used by Queen Elizabeth II into the 1970s. Some of these vehicles were among the first rail cars set aside for preservation, and the display shows how monarchs travelled by rail.
The museum is a short walk from York railway station on Leeman Road, and a roadtrain links it with the city centre near York Minster in summer and school holidays; the park and ride also serves it. Opening is 10 am to 5 pm during the February half-term holiday, then Wednesday to Sunday only, 10 am to 5 pm. Admission has been free since 2001.
The Japanese 0 Series Shinkansen leading vehicle was donated by West Japan Railway Company in 2001 and is one of only two Shinkansen vehicles on exhibit outside Japan. The museum also holds the Chinese Class KF7 4-8-4 locomotive, built in Britain and donated by the Chinese government in 1981.
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