For those who have not visited Locomotion before can you briefly explain what it is about?
Locomotion is the National Railway Museum at Shildon County Durham. The NRM is in fact a museum on two sites; one at Shildon and the other, the more familiar one, at York. Locomotion was set up to accommodate the NRM’s “reserve collection” of railway vehicles that could not be put on display at York. Many of these vehicles were housed in less than ideal conditions around the country and as they were saved for the nation as an important part of our transport heritage it was vital to find more appropriate accommodation for them. There are some 270 railway vehicles in the national collection as a whole and Locomotion is proud to be the home of around 60 of them. The museum was opened in 2004 and was soon receiving recognition for its “green”credentials. The new collections building was clearly more than a storage shed! The modern hangar like structure has an array of photo voltaic panels on the roof to generate its own electricity, it harvests rain water, it has a wind turbine to pump water and it has under floor heating. The humidity and temperature in the building are kept constant in order to provide the best conditions for the vehicle collection. The site at Shildon was chosen for a whole raft of reasons. It was the home of the huge Shildon Wagon Works which unfortunately closed in 1984. But the most relevant is the fact that Shildon – “the cradle of the railways”- is the home of the first ever steam hauled passenger train granted by act of parliament on the 27th September 1825. Although the railway company was entitled the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the first steam hauled train started its journey at the Mason’s Arms crossing in Shildon. And the name of that steam engine was – yes you’ve guessed it – Locomotion No1.
Can you tell us about your role at the museum?
Well to start with I have to reveal that I was privileged to be the planning officer who dealt with the planning application for the museum. Being brought up in Shildon railways, both real and model, are in my blood. In retirement I just had to return to Locomotion in some capacity.
I am now the Vice Chair and Hon Secretary of the Friends of the National Railway Museum North East Branch who are based at Locomotion. We are a small band of ten or so predominantly retired individuals who have one thing in common - a love of railways. We are primarily responsible for cleaning the exhibits, everything from a regular dust to a “deep clean”with special polishes, clothes and equipment. We help to conduct guided walks at the museum and around Shildon. We also have a Friends stall which we take to other railway venues in the North East to raise money as well as raise the profile of the museum. We have been able to help to buy numerous things for the museum over the years ranging from chairs and display cabinets to our very own vehicle – the last Shildon built “Merry –Go –Round “wagon or MGR for short. The Friends at Shildon and the Locomotion Museum are also members of the Bishop Line Community Rail Partnership, a combination of community groups, local authorities and railway industry organisations whose goal is to get more people to use the railway line from Darlington to Bishop Auckland which passes through Shildon more often. Shildon station is only a short walk fro the museum. Clearly, we want to bring in as many visitors by train to Locomotion as possible. I am currently the chair of the partnership too.
So what is the appeal to travel to it if you are coming to the North East?
In short you get a great day out! You get free admission and free car parking but obviously I would prefer if you came by rail along the original route of the old S&DR. You can get close up and intimate with some of the most iconic railway vehicles in the world. It’s a different experience to York as some of the vehicles at Locomotion are in storage awaiting stabilisation or restoration, or are in the process of being cosmetically restored in our conservation workshop. We have the greatest changing railway collection in the North East as stock is moved to and from York and other heritage railway centres on a regular basis. We have café facilities and there is always plenty for the kids to do with interactive displays indoors and a great picnic and play area outside. At the heritage end of the site where you will discover buildings from the very early days of the railway you can see the original “Sans Pareil” locomotive built by Timothy Hackworth, one of the unsung heroes of the early railways, which competed with Stephenson’s “Rocket” Rainhill Trials in 1829. We also have steam rides on special event days up and down the site and driving courses are available.
What does it offer that other attractions do not?
I like to think that Locomotion is unique. On the one hand you have all the history linked with the early development of the railways at the heritage end of the site full of fascinating listed buildings and a conservation area in it’s own right and at the other a modern sustainable structure housing a wonderful variety of very precious railway vehicles. It’s markedly different to its sister museum at York and the Beamish Open Air Museum in County Durham. It offers free admission with family events and activities throughout the year. We also have a prestigious steam gala each year in September which draws the crowds in. We must be doing something right because the museum was designed to cater for around 65,000 visitors a year. Last year we attracted 210,000! Many of our visitors wished they had known of the museum sooner and many make return trips because there is always something new to see.
What can visitors expect from the collection?
An array of beautifully kept engines and rolling stock; everything from impressive express engines to humble wagons, from snow ploughs to Royal Trains. They can also expect to see those vehicles in need of TLC and marvel at the work done by our workshop team. Visitors can enjoy learning about moving people and goods by rail and how railways changed our world from its humble beginnings in the North East to eventually becoming a global transport network.
For you what are the highlights of the collection?
Without doubt the highlight for me was the time that “Mallard”the fastest steam engine in the world was sent to Shildon from York for a few months. Being a London and North Eastern Railway fan, to get my hands on this iconic locomotive, to clean it every week, was boy’s dream come true. I had to pinch myself every time I went onto the footplate to clean and polish the cab. As a young boy I lived with my grand parents up the road from the present museum and used to look over the garden fence at the railway sidings that once existed where the museum now stands. If any one had told me then that I would be the planning officer for Locomotion, or that I would be involved with the upkeep of “Mallard”I would have thought they were mad! Other highlights include the stunning prototype Deltic which has been at Locomotion since it was opened and the visit of “Tornado”.
Who is the museum aimed at?
I think it is a great day out for the whole family. There is something for everybody. Everyone loves steam trains and kids love Thomas and Friends and all the other railway characters. But if you want to delve deeper there is something for the average railway enthusiast as well as those who enjoy researching railway heritage. It is one of many interesting tourist destinations in the North East and well worth a visit.
There is a search engine, library and archive centre at the museum can you tell us a little bit about what these offer?
These facilities are currently at York and provide an extremely comprehensive resource for all those who wish to find out more about our national railways. I used it back in the 90s when conducting research on LNER poster art work for an A level evening course. The staff could not have been more helpful. There is also an awesome warehouse facility at York which is well worth a visit – an Aladdin’s cave for railway enthusiasts.
The museum sees the opportunity for schools to take part, what kind of activities are available for the children to do while they are there?
Loads. There are the hands on learning interactive displays and exciting events programmes all year. The museum is especially busy during school holidays and half terms and the Education Officer ensures that there is always something to do. The Friends get involved too with the “Cab It””events when the footplates of some of the engines in the collection can be accessed by visitors with appropriate guidance. This means that explainers are usually on hand to describe the controls of the engines etc. I have done a few of these with school parties. My particular favourite was getting dressed as a wizard to show kids the controls of “Hogwarts Express” when it visited Locomotion for Harry Potter week.
How can people get involved at the museum if they have a passion for this project?
Join the Friends! You can join our branch at Shildon or join the Friends at York. Associated groups at York include the South of England Group, the 229 Club which supports the “Duchess of Hamilton” locomotive, the National Archive of Railway Oral History and the History, and the Development of Railway Signalling books project. At Shildon you could become an ordinary volunteer. Currently, Locomotion has 75 volunteers on its books including the Friends. We like potential members to come along to one our regular cleaning sessions to see exactly what we do then join us for a chat over a cuppa and bacon butty afterwards. Several of our current members joined this way.
The web site boasts a lot of stories about the railway, do you have a favourite?
It must be when I was masquerading as a wizard for the Harry Potter week. The children were lined up at the base of the steps leading up onto the footplate of Hogwarts Express. Then in groups of six they were allowed on the footplate with teachers in tow to see the controls of the Hogwarts Express. So there I was in my wizard’s hat, wand in hand explaining how the engine worked. The wand with its illuminated tip (available at the museum shop at a reasonable price) made the whistle work. Actually this was a ruse as the teachers had been given “secret” whistles before hand to blow when the kids were distracted. To embellish the story of the train I explained that as this was a magic train when the coal ran out Harry would put a dragon in the fire box to raise steam. The kids were in awe at this revelation. No wonder as the explainer at the foot of the stairs had told the kids that as I sported a pointy white beard I was a real wizard and if they did not believe what I said I would turn them all into frogs! No wonder I had their rapt attention! Previous groups seemed to enjoy this twist and I thought I was onto a winner. One little lad, however, was having none of this saying I was talking rubbish and in a Geordie accent said “ Mister you wadden’t get a dragon through that fire hole its too smaal”. Of course, the little so-and-so was right and the magic quickly faded away with the other kids now in fits of giggles. It was then I wished my wand worked and I could exclaim “Expeliamus!”
The collection is changed and refreshed each year, which exhibit has caused the most excitement?
This is a difficult question because this very mush depends upon your particular railway likes and dislikes. Just as there are dyed in the wool LNER enthusiasts like myself, others follow the old Great Western Railway, the Southern Railway and the London Midland and Scottish Railway. Others prefer diesels and electric traction and the BR corporate blue era. Others love narrow gauge – the list is endless. Putting aside “Mallard”and “Tornado”, the Harry Potter week was “magic” but some would say the recent line up of all the preserved Deltics on the hard standing area in front of the collections building was some thing special. In 2013 we hope to have all the preserved A4 class engines like “Mallard”at Locomotion and I think that will be the best event at the museum. But then I would wouldn’t I?
For those who have enjoyed the experience, what sort of memorabilia can they come away with on the day?
We have a very well stocked shop with railway related items in abundance. There are the usual Thomas and Friends toys and Hornby and Bachmann model railways which you can now purchase on line. There are vast quantities of books, DVDs etc and loads of sweets. You can also purchase posters, paintings, cups, games and enamel signs. I just hope our visitors come away with happy memories and a determination to return to Locomotion in the not too distant future.
Interview with Charles Walton (Vice Chair and Hon Secretary of the Friends)
Lucy Walton Female First
by Lucy Walton
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