National Railway Museum

This incredibly detailed 1/8 scale model of the Great Western Railways 2-2-2 class broad gauge locomotive also known as Firefly, was the first independent locomotive design by Great Western Railway engineer Sir Daniel Gooch.

Gooch became the GWR’s Locomotive Superintendent in 1837 and went on to develop the successful Firefly class. Developed from a Robert Stephenson design, the Firefly class went on to influence GWR broad gauge locomotive design until 1892.

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1 week ago | [YT] | 267

National Railway Museum

Have you ever thought about a pub on a train?

They did exist at one point. Well, sort of. Tavern cars ran on the British Railways Southern Region, designed to look like country pubs. The carriages had bars and were decorated and furnished, some with fake oak panelling on the inside while their exteriors were painted to look like a brick wall.

They were introduced in 1948 to make commuters' journeys more comfortable—but were soon withdrawn, as they were widely criticised.

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2 weeks ago | [YT] | 302

National Railway Museum

📮🚆 Before next day delivery, emails and instant messaging, Britain's post travelled by rail!

Pictured is Post Office van NSX 80363 in March 1987. For over a century, Post Office trains carried letters across the country. Trains were the fastest way to send and receive packages. What made these trains especially effective was that letters could be sorted while the train was travelling in Travelling Post Office (TPO) carriages. This meant mail was ready for delivery as soon as it arrived, saving valuable time compared to moving sacks of unsorted mail by road.

Royal Mail's rail services came to an end on 10 January 2004 as demand declined. These hard-working vehicles helped keep Britain connected long before the digital age.

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3 weeks ago | [YT] | 343

National Railway Museum

Great news! Our film about the Wuppertal Schwebebahn is now a Lovie Awards finalist—and you can also help us win a People's Lovie Award by voting for us here: vote.lovieawards.com/PublicVoting#/2026/video-film…

Not seen the film yet? It's a long one! But packed with rail adventures, intriguing suspended monorail engineering and amazing behind-the-scenes access: https://youtu.be/OtnErlrZ50w

1 month ago | [YT] | 153

National Railway Museum

On this Class 91 the speedometer goes up to 150.

However, with 6,090 horsepower available, the mighty '91 achieved a record top speed of 161.7mph (260.2km/h), sending it right off the clocks in 1989.

1 month ago | [YT] | 216

National Railway Museum

This is the Indian Railways Class WG locomotive, No. 8350. It was displayed at the Festival of Britain, showcasing the scale and ambition of India's railway network. Built in Glasgow in 1950 by the North British Locomotive Company, it was designed to run on India's vast and varied railways, which used three different track gauges: 2ft 6in, metre gauge and 5ft 6in.

2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 257

National Railway Museum

From Germany to the North of England 🚆

The Class 185 has been a familiar sight on Britain's railways since 2006. Built by Siemens in Germany for First TransPennine Express, these three-car trains were designed for speed, reliability and comfort on regional routes. Part of the versatile Desiro family, they're known for their quick acceleration, making them ideal for journeys with frequent station stops.

2 months ago | [YT] | 255

National Railway Museum

Join us on Sunday as we explore mail... by rail! We're taking you inside the West Coast Joint Stock Travelling Post Office, which was even fitted with a post box for those last-minute letter. Send it!

2 months ago | [YT] | 87

National Railway Museum

In 1916 this Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway ambulance carriage was loaded at Tilbury Docks and shipped to France during the First World War. Once across the Channel it helped transport wounded soldiers from the front lines to hospitals. Railway ambulance trains like this relied in part on voluntary donations, making them a vital lifeline in wartime.

To find out more about ambulance trains, check out our film here: https://youtu.be/xU0chdzNjxM?si=76P_c...

2 months ago | [YT] | 241

National Railway Museum

Curator with a Camera is back on Sunday! Join Anthony for a proper in-depth tour of the Class 87, a 5,000hp powerhouse packed with intriguing details from the 1970s.

3 months ago | [YT] | 394