Indeed explanation sheets/boards are minimal throughout the museum, which kind of lets down the whole experience somewhat.Ī 3rd hall has a really impressive load of old junk (memorabilia) all catalogued and stacked onto shelves. Sadly there is no real meaningful explanation. There is also a steam engine here with massive sections cut away & painted so you can see how it works. In another hall (short walk), there are a range of nationally important & impressive engines including a Bullet train, The Evening Star and Mallard. Interesting to see the old royal carriages and some eclectic rolling stock. One an old station layout with a cafe & plenty of seating. It is a big space and split into three main halls. Whilst you can get free tickets on the website, it seems to ask for a donation ticket price of £5/adult. In June 22, it was still advisable to book online so as to regulate how crowded it gets. Overall a good museum, plenty to see here if you've an interest in trains or just need ti keep the family entertained for a couple of hours. Book ahead as the number of people that can enter is limited by time slots and just turning up may result in a wait before you can enter. There are cafes in both of the train display halls and they offer a nice choice of snacks and more substantial meals and the prices are not overly expensive. Small children and teenagers may not find much to engage them as the displays are factual with little to interact with or try out. We spent four hours here, but I can imagine those who are truly interested in trains could easily spend a whole day taking it all in. There is one lot of toilets located near to the entrance, these are modern, clean and well maintained.Īs a non-train enthusiast engineer, I found plenty to look at and found the hall housing the railway associated items really fascinating. The site is wheel chair accessible although one life was out of use when we visited. There is almost too much to take in in one visit. Everything you could possibly imagine associated with railways can probably be found here. Some are quirky - the packaging from the last microwave cheese burger served - and other show how railway staff were trained or equipped. The archive hall is full of items associated the all aspects of trains, railways and stations. The turntable in the second hall is a good reminder that the site of the museum was a working maintenance shed. These items create a context for the trains and this helps to bring them to life, it's easy to imagine who would be travelling and what their experience would have been when you see earthenware ginger beer bottles left on a seat or a sack barrow with suitcases and tennis rackets on the platform. A must visit for any train enthusiast, but also interesting for anyone who has an interest in social history or 'days gone by.' The trains really are the centre piece, but there are also lots of items from railway stations displayed around the trains: trolleys with luggage, posters advertising destinations for holidays and many enamelled advertising and information signs.
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