WHO IS THE NRM FOR?

The question must be asked: who is the National Railway Museum for? Is it for school trips and people popping in to take a look while they’re in York? If so, would one example each of small, medium and large engines suffice? As far as school trip parties and the average family are concerned, a ‘Britannia’, rebuilt ‘West Country’ and ‘A2’ Blue Peter, for instance, would all look much the same.

Some might notice that the wheels are different, but they might find such details a bit boring and they wouldn’t visit again or recommend it, so visitors could be lost. Or is the museum for people who can recognise and appreciate the differences between classes of steam engines? As we have seen recently, the general public are outweighing the true enthusiasts in their patronage of such things, and this, dare I say it, will be the future. However, I personally think the lack of transparency in the NRM’s de‑accession policy hasn’t helped their cause. Why couldn’t these items have been loaned out instead? Roy Fairbrass, by email