YORK’S National Railway Museum is appealing for the public’s help in finishing its ‘Fallen Railwaymen’ database, which remembers the courage and sacrifice of the 20,000 railway workers who died in the First World War.

A spokeswoman said the unique project had been running for more than 10 years and was almost complete, but museum staff needed the public’s assistance to add the final records.

“People are urged to contact the National Railway Museum in York with their family stories and photographs of relatives who worked in the railway industry prior to enlisting, and who died during the First World War,” she said.

“Museum staff and volunteers began the project to remember and record the important contribution of railwaymen to the war effort and created a dedicated website to give the public access to the database: www.firstworldwar.nrm.org.uk/fallen-railwaymen.

“The database is free to access and has been created from several sources including the North Eastern Railway’s roll of honour which documents over 200 railwaymen from York who died during the conflict.

“The database records the tragic loss of life from workers young and old working in every job connected to the railways, from draughtsmen and ticket collectors to porters and firemen.”

She said stories uncovered included that of brothers Thomas, 21, and Alfred Stephenson, 19, from Railway Terrace in York, who sadly lost their lives within four months of each other, only a few months before the end of the war.

“The brothers both worked at North Eastern Railway, Thomas in the District Passengers Agent office and Alfred in the Wagon Works.”

Museum archivist Alison Kay said volunteers had worked tirelessly on the project.