The National Railway Museum in York has finished a major £11 million (€12.61 million) revamp of its Station Hall gallery, opening its doors to the public. After being closed for two years, the Grade II-listed building (a structure of “special interest”) has started welcoming visitors, just in time to celebrate the museum’s 50th anniversary on 27th and 28th September 2025.
Originally constructed in the 1870s, the Station Hall, which once served as a goods station, is now a key part of the museum’s exhibition space, which first opened in 1975. The hall houses a collection of six royal carriages and the last-ever cheeseburger box from London North Eastern Railway, symbolising the evolution of onboard catering. The museum spans over 200 years of railway history, ranging from railway workers’ and passengers’ testimonies to the first on-train toilets and station signs.
Among the newly displayed items is a wreath placed on Queen Victoria’s funeral train in 1901. The exhibition also includes a 1921 W.H. Smith bookstall, a passimeter (ticket kiosk) from Winchmore Hill station, and a collection of photographs depicting Windrush migrants beginning their journeys from London Waterloo. These additions highlight the social and cultural impact of railways, offering a diverse narrative of travel and migration.
The hall now features a new, energy-efficient roof, ensuring preservation and sustainability. “It had been leaking since the 1870s,” Andrew McLean, head curator at the National Railway Museum, told The Guardian. “Sometimes, if it had been raining, we would have buckets catching water. Making this building wind and watertight for the first time is transformational for us.” The refurbishment, funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Friends of the National Railway Museum, enhances the hall, which occupies one-third of the museum’s exhibition space.
In addition, the museum’s Central Hall, which now serves as the new welcome area, gallery, and café, is also undergoing improvements. This renovation is the most significant part of a larger, £100 million (€114.59 million) modernisation plan. The new Central Hall is then scheduled to open to the public in 2027.
The Railway Museum is now open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free, and visitors can book their tickets in advance to save a little time upon arrival. Moreover, visitors with a Visit York Pass can enjoy a free ride on the Road Train, which starts at Duncombe Place near York Minster and travels through the city to the museum’s entrance.
