The National Railway Museum

We've just got back from a family holiday near York - and of course that meant a visit to the National Railway Museum. It's a llong time since I have been (well, since I was a child), these days the bonus is the museum is free! It is in many ways a "traditional" museum - lots of interesting things to look at but not much in the way of interactive stuff (in fact the kids interactive area was closed, which was a shame), however my little boy loved it, and so did I.















So there are lots of obvious attractions like the Rocket replica, and a very interesting display of Royal Train coaches, but of course I liked the more obscure stuff, like this ancient Black Hawthorn saddle tank, preserved in the state that the museum acquired it. That is, run-down and weathered! That would make a super model.















I even found some narrow gauge interest too, such as the Ffestiniog double-Fairlie Livingstone Thompson, and this odd little 18" gauge loco.















And another un-restored exhibit is this Lynton & Barnstaple Railway coach, as found in a garden!

A good family day out then!

As you might expect that wasn't the only railway-related interest of the holiday ....