From locomotives to railway posters explore the railway objects currently on display at the National Railway Museum in York, and discover the role of railways in shaping the modern world.
Locomotives and Rolling Stock
Dandy car, North British Railway, Port Carlisle Dandy Car (dark red horse drawn rail coach).
Signalling & Telecommunications
1897
Block instrument: Sykes' Lock and Block absolute 2-tablet/1-semaphore block-indicator with plunger-commutator, release key-hole, and switch-hook (all brass). The upper/lower tablet indications are "Locked/Free" and "Blank/Train On" respectively. The tablet cut-out face-plate sits within a brass-bezelled circular aperture and is inscribed "Local 12", "To Coborn Road", "From Devonshire Street". Above the tablet-aperture is a rectangular brass Sykes' maker's plate. This instrument was presented by 'W.R. Sykes Interlocking Signal Company Ltd' and has a Description Card.
Railway carriage, Lynton & Barnstaple Railway, brake composite/observation. Saloon, No 6992, built 1897, (narrow gauge).
Miscellanea & Curiosities
1855
Bullion Box, South Eastern Railway, box containing lead shot from Great Gold Robbery from London - Paris via Folkestone train on 15 May 1855.
1834
Railway carriage, four wheeled, 2nd Class, Bodmin & Wadebridge Railway, built in 1834, to carry 16 passengers. Length over buffers: 17 ft.
1960
Diesel-hydraulic shunting locomotive, British Railways, Class 02 0-4-0 No D2860, built by Yorkshire Engine Company in 1960.
1887
Brake van, Great Northern Railway, 6-wheel passenger brake van, No 948 of 1887.
Railway Models
Model steam locomotive, 1/3 scale, 7 1/4" gauge, 0-4-0 ST `Margaret', built at National Railway Museum 1982-1983 prototype Hunslet `Alice' class No.878 of 1898
1880
Steam locomotive, London Brighton & South Coast Railway, 0-6-0T No 82, "Boxhill", designed by William Stroudley, built at Brighton in 1880, withdrawn in 1946.
1895
Signal box, South Eastern Railway, ex Borough Market Junction, London Bridge. Built in 1895 to standard South Eastern Railway design. Equiped with Westinghouse K frame in 1928. Closed in 1976, when London Bridge power box was opened.
1937
Railway carriage, London & North Eastern Railway, Buffet Car No. 9135, built York, 1937, teak body.
Locomotives and Rolling Stock Components
1935
Locomotive plaque, London & North Eastern Railway, Silver Fox emblem from A4 Class No 60017, built December 1935, withdrawn October 1963.
Road Transport
Mail coach with four horses and two figures in the livery of Portsmouth London Royal Mail, scale model displayed on wooden plinth.
1931
Railway wagon, 12T Private Owner mineral wagon, Stanton Iron Works, 1931.
Fixtures & Fittings from Railway Buildings
1852
Marble statue, George Stephenson, on plinth (weight approx 6 tons). Dimension: 15' high (180" high x 36" square), from the Great Hall of Euston Station
1900-1920
Enamel notice, Great Southern & Western Railway of Ireland, "Please do not spit in the carriages", pale blue and white, rectangular, 4 1/2 inches x 16 inches, 115 x 408 mm.
Fruit Van, Great Western Railway, goods van, "Mink G" No 112884, 1931, (later numbered 042431).
Concept model, British Rail InterCity 250, approx 1/20 scale, consisting of Class 93 locomotive, No. 93001 and section of Mark V carriage, in perspex case, made for design company Seymour Powell by Keith Handy, 1514mm x 164mm x 335mm.
Model of Stephenson's `Rocket' locomotive and tender on track, scale 1" to the foot, made of wood and some metal, non-working.
1941
Railway carriage, London Midland & Scottish Railway, Queen Elizabeth’s Saloon, No. 799, built 1941, Wolverton.
Model of Brandreth's horse powered "Cycloped", scale 1:6, entered for the Rainhill Trials 1829, presented by Admiral Sir T. Brandreth in 1894.
Passenger Comforts
Chamber pot, Glasgow & South Western Railway, ceramic, "Real Ironstone China" by Dunn Bennett & Co, Burslem, white with gold bands, G&SWR crest in garter inscribed "G&SW RLY HOTEL" on one side
1846
Model steam locomotive, 1/16 scale, Grand Junction Railway `Crewe Goods' 2-4-0, prototype built 1846.
Tools of the Trade & Personal Accessories
One handed three-colour signal lamp for railway signalling.
Pictorial Collection (Railway)
1969, about
Painting, acrylic on canvas, British Railways, Southern Region, 'Spirit of the Southern', viaduct, train and Downs, by Harry Stevens. A contemporary depiction of a commuter train passing over a viaduct, surrounded by a number of hills beyond which is the sea. The linear portrayal of the train and track contrast with the exaggerated undulation of the hills, fields and clouds. Commissioned by L.W Ibbotson General Manager of the Southern Region in 1969 to promote the 'Southern into the Seventies' campaign. Framed 1970.
1914
Railway carriage, built to drawing 2829 for Midland Railway, No 3463, 3rd class dining car, built 1914, withdrawn 1954.
1894
Brake Van, London & South Western Railway, 10 Ton goods brake van (Road Van) No 99 of 1894 (British Railway No S56055).
Block instrument; Caledonian Railway. Tyer's 2-needle (Up/Down Line) F-Type 3-position absolute pegging/non-pegging instrument (with internal bell). Has circular, electroplated/brass line-description plate ("Greenhill Lower"), bakelite-wedge commutator, electroplated bell-plunger (bottom/RHS), and bakelite release-button in circular aperture (middle/RHS).
1917
Railway wagon, covered van, London & North Western Railway, Serial No 35 of 1917.
1903
Railway carriage, London & South Western Railway, tri-composite, No 3598, built at Eastleigh in 1903.
Coins and Medals
1901
Medal, gold, on blue and red ribbon, Royal Victoria Medal, cased, case inscribed "Presented by His Majesty the King to Mr D Hughes July 29th 1901". Overall: 80 mm x 35 mm x 7 mm; overall (box): 64 mm x 113 mm x 22 mm.
1841
Model steam locomotive, approx. 1/10 scale, live steam for table-top operation, 2-2-2 inside-cylinder type, brass, named `Eclipse', built by John Turner, Hyde, 1841
Model steam locomotive, 1/16 scale, LNWR 4-4-0 4-cylinder compound express No.1901 `Jubilee',prototype and probably model built 1897, ex LNWR exhibition collection.
Model locomotive, 1:8 scale, model of Braithwaite and Ericsson's locomotive "Novelty", 1829, built from drawings prepared in the museum, part sectioned.
Model Railway Carriage, London & South Western Railway, 3rd class smoking compartment, with lavatory and communicating door, as exhibited in connection with the murder trial of George Parker who killed William Pearson on January 17th 1901 between Surbiton and Vauxhall.
1839
Epergne, silver, designed and manufactured by Mr B Smith of Duke Steet, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, presented to Robert Stephenson, 16th November 1839.
Locomotive headlamp, made by GWR , in commemoration of Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee, in 1897. The object is 31"x 9" and is finished on top with a crown.
Railway Furniture
Station Seat, Furness Railway, slatted bench on cast iron supports. Squirrel & grape design on ends. Overall: 730 mm x 2390 mm x 680 mm.
Railway signalling bell by Siemens and Halske, Berlin.
1904
Model of Behr high speed electrical monorail car with piece of track and collection of small spares, constructed by the Model Manufacturing Co., 1904.
Railway Posters, Notices & Handbills
Poster, London & North Eastern Railway, East Coast Types - No 2, The Scottish Fisher Lass - travel cheaply by LNER, 1933, by Frank Newbould. With an illustration of a woman picking fish out of a barrel. Format: double royal. Dimensions: 40 x 25 in.; 1016 x 635 mm.
1905
Model steam locomotive, 1/16 scale, Great Western Railway `Armstrong' class 4-4-0 No 8 'Gooch', 1905, Churchward rebuild of the Dean 'No.7' class of 1894.
1907
Crane, North Eastern Railway, Craven 25 ton steam breakdown crane, No. CME 13 (LNER No. 901638, BR No. 331153), ordered 14th June 1906 from Craven Brothers of Manchester, order number C.8817, delivered in 1907, originally allocated to Gateshead but spent most of its life at Middlesbrough Shed, moved from there in 1958 after its closure and spent time at Thornaby, Wakefield and Shirebrook until being withdrawn in 1971.
1925
Painting, oil on canvas, The Terminus (Penzance Station) by Stanhope Alexander Forbes, 1925. Painting shows a busy station platform from a high view point. This includes carriages, passengers and posters. The sea wall, houses and fields can be seen beyond the platform. Framed and glazed.
1946-1956
Model steam locomotive cab, approx. 1/8 scale, BR Standard Class 7 4-6-2 No.70000 `Britannia', cut away to show anotated controls, probably built by BR apprentices, circa 1951. Overall: 375 mm x 335 mm x 330 mm.
Train staff and ticket box with train staff and two train tickets, Gipsy Lane and Chilton Junction, brass and wood.
1890
Model steam locomotive, spirit fired live steam 'dribbler' 3 inch gauge, Stevens' Model Dockyard 2-2-2.
1826
Model steam locomotive, 1:12 scale, designed by Simon Goodrich, 1826.
Model electric locomotive, Metropolitan Railway, scale 1:16, prototype by the Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co. Ltd. 1921, model built by Twining.
1969
Model railway wagon, 33mm gauge, Cambrian Railway 2-plank 10 ton open No 1947 of 1893, built by J P Richards, 1969.
