National Railway Museum

The museum occupies former engine sheds beside York station and holds around a hundred locomotives and three hundred other items, the largest railway collection in Britain - by exhibition floor area the biggest anywhere is the Cité du Train at Mulhouse, though it draws a fraction of the visitors. Mallard, which reached 126 miles per hour in 1938 and still holds the world record for a steam locomotive, is here. So is a cutaway Class 47 opened up to show its workings, a replica of Stephenson's Rocket, a Chinese KF class built in Britain for export and, in the Great Hall, a Shinkansen bullet train, given in 2001 and one of only two on show outside Japan. The royal saloons include Queen Victoria's, fitted like a drawing room. The Flying Scotsman is based here between tours. Working turntables in both halls are demonstrated, and the workshop restoring locomotives is visible from a viewing gallery.

What's there

• Mallard - holder of the world steam speed record since 1938.
• The Shinkansen - one of only two Japanese bullet trains on show outside Japan.
• The royal saloons - Victorian and later carriages fitted as private rooms.
• The working turntable - locomotives turned in the Great Hall on schedule.

When to go

Year-round; entry is free but timed tickets are needed at busy periods. School holidays are crowded. Flying Scotsman is often away on the mainline, so its presence should be checked before travelling for it.

What to expect

Free entry does not extend to the miniature railway, simulator or some special exhibitions. Major redevelopment work has closed sections for extended periods. Locomotive interiors are mostly viewed from outside rather than entered.

Nearby

York Minster and the Shambles are a fifteen-minute walk; the city walls run nearby.

Key facts