24 Hour Museum - official guide to UK museums, galleries, exhibitions and heritage
Gateway to Over 3,000 UK museums, galleries and heritage attractions
Skip to navigation
Rail Minister Launches Railway Heritage Consultation Paper
By Caroline Lewis
03/06/2008
Image: photo of a period lamp post in front of a freight carriage
The paper seeks to extend the scope of the Railway Heritage Committee in preserving our railway past. Picture shows Monkwearmouth Station. © Tyne and Wear Museums
The Department for Transport (DfT) has launched a consultation looking at how best to preserve the story of British railways.
Rail Minister Tom Harris MP has published proposals to ensure historically significant artefacts are better protected by extending the scope of the Railway Heritage Committee (RHC), which works to safeguard Britain's railway heritage.
The minister is now urging those with an interest in rail heritage to give their views on the proposals.
"Last year saw record numbers of journeys on the rail network," said Rail Minister Tom Harris. "We are focussing on how we can meet growing demand in the years to come but it is important that we carry on protecting the past so that future generations can see how far the industry has come."
Image: Photo of a display case with a railway guard's cap in it
Proposals in the consultation paper include appointing an archivist at the RHC. Picture shows archive at the National Railway Museum. © NRM
The role of the RHC, in action since 2005, is to designate records or artefacts relating to railways which are of sufficient interest to warrant preservation.
Some of its actions have included the designation of a memorial plaque to Henry West, who lost his life at Reading Station in 1840, as well as train nameplates to honour the famous engineer IK Brunel and the comedian and travel writer Michael Palin. These are amongst a range artefacts that are now protected by statute, many of which can be seen at the National Railway Museum in York.
The proposals aim to allow the RHC to work with all railway organisations to ensure that more artefacts are secured and protected in this way. They also look at options for the RHC to cover railway related bodies not included in previous legislation, like the British Transport Police, Transport for London and the Rail Safety and Standards Board.
Image: A photo of a steam locomotive
Oliver Cromwell hauled the very last steam-powered train on British Railways, and is now at the National Railway Museum. © NRM
If accepted, the RHC will be able to use its powers to safeguard aspects of the heritage of all of these bodies.
Another proposal is for an archivist to be recruited by the RHC, to help collate and interpret pieces of our railway past.
"I encourage everyone with an interest in rail heritage to respond to the consultation so that we can better secure the artefacts and records of rail history," said Tom Harris.
The consultation paper, 'Updating the scope and membership of the Railway Heritage Committee', was published on June 3 2008. It is available on the DfT website. The consultation runs until September 5 2008.
The RHC is an executive member of Non Departmental Public Body, sponsored by the DfT. It was created in 2005 under the Railway Heritage Act 1996 (as amended). See www.railwayheritage.org.uk for more information about its work.
National Railway Museum
National Railway Museum, Leeman Road, York, YO26 4XJ, North Yorkshire, England
Open: Open daily 10.00-18.00
Closed: Closed 24-26 December
Monkwearmouth Station Museum (Tyne and Wear Museums)
Monkwearmouth Station Museum, North Bridge Street, Sunderland, SR5 1AP, Tyne & Wear, England
Open: The museum is now closed for an extensive restoration and redevelopment programme. When it re-opens in 2007, visitors will be able to enjoy a range of exciting new displays and activities in a refurbished, accessible museum.
Related Articles
News In Brief - Week Ending November 9 2008
Rail Museum Appeal To Find Wartime Railway Workers
News In Brief - Week Ending September 14 2008
Summer 2008 Holiday Ideas At UK Heritage Sites And Museums
News In Brief - Week Ending July 27
News In Brief - Week Ending July 13 2008
Early Rail Artefacts On Show At National Railway Museum
E-news registration
E-mail story to a friend
Tell us what you think
Library Thief Update: Sentencing Adjourned Until January 16, 2009
Fund Aims To Realise Long Campaign For Cardiff Museum
Britglyph Art Campaign Uses Web To Make Mass Geoglyph
Inaugural Awards Ceremony Honours UK Arts Philanthropists
Rare Silver Cup Commemorating Coronation Of Charles II Is Saved For The Nation
London Fire Brigade Museum Escapes Closure - For Now
Severndroog Castle To Be Restored Thanks To Lottery Grant
Campaign To Save Captain Scott's Hut Needs Another £65,000
Open Air Lab Project Launches At The Natural History Museum
Gravity Defying Vertical Racer Drives Kids Up the Wall At MOSI
DCMS And English Heritage List Seven London Bridges
Railway Museums Launch Joint WWII Railway Worker Project
Bowes Museum Famous Mechanical Swan Goes Back On Show In December
Free Admission To Historic Scotland Sites For St Andrew's Day
Fund Raising Scheme Is Backing Great North Museum: Hancock
Tyneside Gallery Plots New Display After Funding Victory
Winners Of The Inaugural Davy Portrait Awards Announced
Discovering D-Day At The Portsmouth D-Day Museum
Search this site
Home Page
News Page
Exhibition Page
What's On
Trails Page
Website of the Week
Letters Page
Welsh Home
Graphical Version
Copyright © 24 Hour Museum
Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.