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Famous loco The Mallard to leave York’s railway museum after 35 years

8:11am Saturday 6th March 2010 in


ONE of the world’s most iconic steam locos is to leave York after 35 years at the National Railway Museum.

The Mallard, which broke the world steam speed record in 1938 when it reached 126mph, is to move in June to Locomotion, the NRM’s sister museum in Shildon, County Durham.

NRM director Steve Davies said the famous blue loco had been a favourite with visitors since 1975.

He said: “But now we think it’s time to share one of the jewels in our crown with our sister museum.”

The space currently occupied by Mallard will be taken by South Eastern & Chatham Railway steam locomotive No.737 and Pullman Car Company First Class carriage Topaz.

“We haven’t decided when Mallard will return to York, but in the meantime we’re sure that our visitors will enjoy No.737’s elaborate livery and the luxurious look of Topaz,” he said.

Durham councillor Eunice Huntington, who sits on Locomotion’s board, said it was going to be home to Mallard “for the foreseeable future.”

Gillian Cruddas, chief executive of Visit York, said it would be “sad” to see it move from York.

“It is an iconic train in the fantastic collection at the National Railway Museum.

“We hope, however, that by showcasing the train up in County Durham, we can encourage more visitors to visit York to experience both the city and the world-class collection of trains here. We hope too to see the Mallard back in the future.”

The Mallard will be pulled to Locomotion by Tornado, the new steam locomotive built over almost 20 years by The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust in Darlington.

• The Mallard will be given the send-off it deserves when in the Spring Bank Holiday half-term 2010, the NRM puts on a range of festivities to wish it a fond farewell, before it leaves on June 23.

Comments(21)

yorkandproud says...
9:56am Sat 6 Mar 10

Not sure this is a good idea. Mallard is the jewel in the crown. Is this new boss Steve Davies making his presence felt?
To me, it is like Sir Alex Ferguson sending Wayne Rooney to play for York City.

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RingoStarr says...
10:00am Sat 6 Mar 10

Will it be going under its own steam?

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Fred the Shred says...
10:20am Sat 6 Mar 10

Big mistake, it isn't the "National" Railway museum for nothing. I'd say the Mallard and the Flying Scotsman are the main reasons for visiting the museum period so I'd certainly be less inclined to without it being there.

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again says...
12:52pm Sat 6 Mar 10

Never mind, I gather the French are going to let York Art Gallery have the Mona Lisa as a means of getting more tourists to visit Paris.

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pedalling paul says...
1:13pm Sat 6 Mar 10

Hope it is towed there via its old stamping ground, rather than on the back of a lorry.

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Opinion8ed says...
2:40pm Sat 6 Mar 10

pedalling paul wrote:
Hope it is towed there via its old stamping ground, rather than on the back of a lorry.
Read the article, it's going to be pulled by the Tornado.

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A user says...
3:15pm Sat 6 Mar 10

Sad to see it go, but it will be quite a sight to see these two loco's together on the track...can't wait....

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humpty numpty says...
4:58pm Sat 6 Mar 10

Tigerscaddy's dog JoJo has a mallard toy, when you squeeze it it quacks, clever eh!

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yawn.. says...
5:07pm Sat 6 Mar 10

what a shame.

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Pedro says...
5:11pm Sat 6 Mar 10

It is fair that an museum owned by everybody should have its exhibits seen by as many people as possible.

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euroinforitnow says...
5:50pm Sat 6 Mar 10

It's hard enough to get any sort of national museum outside London but to take away the prize exhibit from York is a bit rich. However, I just don't see the casual visitor going off to Shildon, nice as it is, to see Mallard.

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Garrowby Turnoff says...
6:01pm Sat 6 Mar 10

No.737... Wooowooo Yippeeee!!

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bloodaxe says...
6:16pm Sat 6 Mar 10

What's the point of having a National Railway Museum if it isn't just that ? Obviously the NRM is a fantastic archive and has some terrific exhibits but I'd rather keep the stars of the show rather than see them hived off to some north-eastern backwater, even if Shildon did play a formative role in railway development. How about moving the best bits of the Yorkshire Museum to Chester ? Or Jorvik to Norwich ? I would have thought that there was more to be said for getting some of the collections in London museums out to the regions rather than breaking up what is already here.

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nowthen says...
6:25pm Sat 6 Mar 10

BIG mistake ; can Steve Davies explain who made this decision and why ? are any more of York's assets going to be stripped ?

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pedalling paul says...
8:09pm Sat 6 Mar 10

Steve has only just arrived in post, and it is likely that his predecessors will have organised the transfer.

Visitors to Shildon rail museum (Locomotion) can also travel a little further north to the Weardale heritage Railway beyond Bishop Auckland, for a longer train ride. They have recently reconnected to Network Rail, and plan to run through trains to Darlington via Shildon, at some future date.

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petethefeet says...
8:52pm Sat 6 Mar 10

Huh. Me and the missus went to see the Tuthankamun exhibition at the Dome. It was a bit of a fraud as it was only the second-string stuff, the real treasure was still in Cairo. And that's what should happen here. York IS the national railway museum and therefore should have the crown jewels.
If this is the way ahead then when can we expect to see the Magna Carta, the Domesday book and the Lindesfarne Gospels at the Yorkshire museum?

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Cost Accountant says...
11:37pm Sat 6 Mar 10

Shildon is also part of the National Railway Museum, being a branch alongside the part at York though being a smaller part.
Presumably there was not sufficient space at York to display as many items as they wanted to do so an extension was built at Shildon.

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evelyn_trent says...
12:08pm Mon 8 Mar 10

Ever since the streamlining was reintroduced to 'Duchess of Hamilton' 'Mallard' has started to look a little lack-lustre. A shame if she's disappearing forever, though: the NRM is THE centre of railway excellence and Mallard IS the world record-holder.

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yorkandproud says...
4:57pm Mon 8 Mar 10

evelyn_trent wrote:
Ever since the streamlining was reintroduced to 'Duchess of Hamilton' 'Mallard' has started to look a little lack-lustre. A shame if she's disappearing forever, though: the NRM is THE centre of railway excellence and Mallard IS the world record-holder.
Mallard lacklustre. Get a grip. She is beautiful.

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MarkW says...
9:15pm Mon 8 Mar 10

Shame for York and the viewing public. The Mallard itself will now surely been seen by far far fewer people - who on earth goes to Shildon for tourism?? Its like sticking the Mona Lisa under someone's settee in Goole.
Am also a bit suspicious about the lack of explanation - what is going on?

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deathwatch says...
9:24pm Fri 12 Mar 10

Does anyone, (apart from train geeks - most of whom are probably on the sex offender's register), actually give a toss?...

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