Station Hall, National Railway Museum

[Jan Mayen]

Had a quick visit now that it has reopened.
I liked it, although it seemed a little dark to me.
Be warned if going by train. The walking route from York Station is a lot longer, 15 to 20 minutes walk. This will be in place until the new Central Hall opens in 2027.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

This will be in place until the new Central Hall opens in 3027.

Thanks for the update. Hopefully it will be sooner than that!

 

[Jan Mayen]

Thanks for the update. Hopefully it will be sooner than that!

Indeed! Edited to 2027. Many thanks.

 

[Iskra]

I struggled to identify what had changed to be honest. Agree about the long walk.

 

[Trainlog]

Whilst the changes, such as a stronger roof, were a welcome addition for the sake of the locomotives and other exhibits, I certainly wasn't happy that they had wired off the cabs/footplates of the locomotives, which you were able to go into the cabs of the LMS Crab and single locos at any time when I last went in 2018.

 

[Russel]

I've not visited yet to see the refurb in person, but the low lighting always added to the atmosphere for me, so I'm glad they haven't changed it too much.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Nov 2025 ==

The walking route from York Station is a lot longer, 15 to 20 minutes walk. This will be in place until the new Central Hall opens in 2027.

So you can't access it via the footbridge and heading out the back of York station now?

 

[Jan Mayen]

I've not visited yet to see the refurb in person, but the low lighting always added to the atmosphere for me, so I'm glad they haven't changed it too much.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Nov 2025 ==



So you can't access it via the footbridge and heading out the back of York station now?

That is still the shortest route. The route once you get to the road has changed.

 

[Train Maniac]

Went to the NRM for the first time in 10 years at the end of September. What is up with the diversion that takes you round the whole site, just to get to the front entrance??
As for improvements, i really enjoyed the new-ish mezzanine library/archive, spent more time reading books than looking at exhibits

i agree with @Trainlog, while the improved accesibility is great, its a shame its at the expense of not being to explore the footplates of the exhibits

 

[thejuggler]

Just back from my first visit since the refurb. The whole of the area of the old main entrance from the railway station side is now fully fenced off - they were just painting the timber hoardings - in preparation for the next stage of work.

It is a long walk to the Leeman Road entrance, pleasant enough, but I suspect not when it is raining. Someone in front of me in the cafe queue asked if there was a quicker route to the centre than 20-25 minutes, unfortunately due to the road works outside the main station entrance there isn't. The road train is however operating.

As for exhibits, not much has changed. The new Station Hall is improved, but I miss the temporary 'sheds' out the back with the stored items. The workshop viewing area is gone and most of the exhibits in the room by the mainline viewing area have been removed.

I'll give it another 18 months or so for all the other work to be done before returning.

 

[John Luxton]

Had a quick visit now that it has reopened.
I liked it, although it seemed a little dark to me.
Be warned if going by train. The walking route from York Station is a lot longer, 15 to 20 minutes walk. This will be in place until the new Central Hall opens in 2027.

I went a couple of times for just before Station Hall closed - my first visits since the early 1990s. I was disappointed back then just how gloomy and dark it was.

When the roof replacement was announced I thought that the opportunity would be taken to allow more natural light to enter sorry to read your comments about it being dark and I had suspected as much from some recent photos posted on line.

Steam at Swindon is so much brighter and the new museum at the Vale of Rheildol Railway is superb when it comes to internal illumination from natural light.

Wonder why the opportunity wasn't taken to make it brighter?

 

[Lemmy282]

Natural light fades the paintwork ad fabrics maybe?

 

[thejuggler]

Bright lights are not good for the more delicate exhibits.

 

[Russel]

If the station hall was too bright, it would loose it's atmosphere as well.

 

[kje7812]

Natural light fades the paintwork ad fabrics maybe?

Bright lights are not good for the more delicate exhibits.

I'm fairly sure when I visited a couple of weeks ago, there were signs in the Station Hall with that explanation.

 

[Rikki Lamb]

I went a couple of times for just before Station Hall closed - my first visits since the early 1990s. I was disappointed back then just how gloomy and dark it was.

When the roof replacement was announced I thought that the opportunity would be taken to allow more natural light to enter sorry to read your comments about it being dark and I had suspected as much from some recent photos posted on line.

Steam at Swindon is so much brighter and the new museum at the Vale of Rheildol Railway is superb when it comes to internal illumination from natural light.

Wonder why the opportunity wasn't taken to make it brighter?

Only so much can be done with a listed building.

 

[John Luxton]

Bright lights are not good for the more delicate exhibits.

I can understand that when it comes to historic houses but one would assume the paint jobs on rolling stock would be more robust. Strange that neither Steam nor the new museum at Abreystwyth find the need to limit lighting.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Mar 2026 ==

Only so much can be done with a listed building.

Putting in a few more window panels in the roof would not change the appearance of the building.

 

[WTT Gremlin]

I can understand that when it comes to historic houses but one would assume the paint jobs on rolling stock would be more robust. Strange that neither Steam nor the new museum at Abreystwyth find the need to limit lighting.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Mar 2026 ==


Putting in a few more window panels in the roof would not change the appearance of the building.G

Even if some of the paint is more robust, it will still get damaged, and the collection of royal carriages have a lot of delicate materials, and likely quite a lot have fairly old (possibly some of it original) paint work.

In such a museum environment, they are being conserved, not preserved.

 

[thejuggler]

I can understand that when it comes to historic houses but one would assume the paint jobs on rolling stock would be more robust. Strange that neither Steam nor the new museum at Abreystwyth find the need to limit lighting.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Mar 2026 ==


Putting in a few more window panels in the roof would not change the appearance of the building.

Not so much the exterior paint stock, more the fabrics and textiles of the interiors. The Pullman Mk2 is currently having extensive work done due to 'infestation' which involves removing seat bolsters for treatment.

 

[alexl92]

I’ve visited the museum a few times since the walking route changed, but only been in Station Hall once. Can confirm it isn’t fun on a rainy day, especially with small kids.

Was quite disappointed with Station Hall to be honest, hardly anything appears to have changed (except the roof repairs) and it appears that there is no way to shunt stock in or out now which presumably means nothing ever will.