National Railway Museum, Shildon

Another post we didn't get time to put up during the Alice project, and a trip to the National Railway Museum, in Shildon, nr. Durham

Shildon was opened as an 'outstation' of the NRM, and houses effectively some of the overspill from the collection.  We hadn't been here before, but knew of it, and the bank holiday at Easter gave chance for a visit.

We've done the main museum in York may times, but it hasn't proved too enjoyable from a photography point of view the last few times; lots of stuff closed for lack of volunteers, or sealed off for corporate functions. 

By contrast, Shildon was really good- busy, but not too busy.  A nicely modern building which is light and airy and actually makes a nice light for photography.

One of my (Ben's) favourite bits of design, the Advanced Passenger Train (E-Experimental), a very 60's test-bed for gas-turbine technology.  When I was little on a trip to York this was parked outside, in a siding, rotting and rusting to hell, so it was nice to see it very tastefully restored as a centrepiece of the collection. 

Of course, even with the nice lighting, there were lots of people about, and it was getting tricky to take wide shots, so we figured on a bit of abstract, close-up work.  The lamp on a nice battery-electric mining loco to start with...

Then a bit of playing with various locomotive wheels.

And a tank track- mainly useful as reference for the Jabberwock sculpture.

Moving away from wheels, and onto the bodywork of carriages...

And then a few zoom tricks with the MGR hopper wagon.

Probably a bit too abstract, the NER snowplough.

Then outside, where the veteran Furness Railway No.20 was running a brake van shuttle service on the demonstration line, for a small fee.  A lovely loco this, and a connection of sorts to an earlier project which Amy did, photographing along the Cumbrian Coast Railway (where this locomotive once ran, and was for many years preserved until damaged in an air raid at Barrow).

Our first ride in a brake van- nice to be out in the open air on the verandah at the end.

Passing a Pacer on the adjacent main line.  Actually on this demonstration run there was a stark contrast between the funding of these museums; the demonstration line runs from the museum to an old goods shed, and a second bit of museum run by the local council... or at least, in theory, but that end was shut due to funding cuts, so the building was there, the train stopped, but there was nothing to do.  Especially ironic as the NRM is technically government funded too.

Off the train, and a few low-angle shots were taken in the yard outside.

So impressions of Shildon, at the risk of this turning into a TripAdvisor review:  It was really, really good.  Lots of activity trails which the Childs enjoyed doing (there was an Easter trail hunting eggs, but also a sheet of close-up photos for spotting, which the Youngest Child loved doing).  Plenty of vols and staff, unobtrusive fundraising (especially compared to the York site), good café with a decent cup of tea.  The shop was excellent (and yes, tempting- we bought the kids an Airfix starter kit), and the train ride outside was good value for money.  Nice mix of trains on display too, and plenty of last-minute research for the Jabberwock project.

Final shot, moody close-up on the prototype Deltic.