Heritage Railway Centres and Museums
The UK has many ‘Heritage Railway Centres’ and ‘Heritage Railway Museums’.
The Railway Club Directory lists those Centres and Museums that are either dedicated to railways (for example, the National Railway Museum) or have a substantial element that is dedicated to railways (for example, the Science and Industry Museum: Manchester) however we do not list museums with an insubstantial or token railway element, nor station sites that are too insubstantial to be regarded as a railway centre or museum.
Note that Museums and/or Centres comprising part of a heritage railway are referred to within the ‘Heritage Railways’ section of the Directory, and not here.
Heritage Railway Centres and Museums are listed under location categories: England, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
England
1. Amberley Working Museum
Address: New Barn Road, Amberley, Arundel BN18 9LT
Operating Season and Days: Main Season: Mid-February to end October: Wednesday to Sunday
Prices: Adult: £14 / Child: £7
Support Group: Support is via direct membership of the Museum
2. Barrow Hill Roundhouse Railway Centre
Address: Campbell Drive, Barrow Hill, Chesterfield S43 2PR
Operating Season and Days: March to December: Saturday and Sunday
Prices: Adult: £7 / Child: £5
Support Group: Barrow Hill Engine Shed Society
3. Beamish Museum
Address: Regional Resource Centre, Beamish DH9 0RG
Operating Season and Days: Varies (daily in high and shoulder seasons, weekends at other times)
Prices: Adult: £21 / Child: £12
Support Group: Friends of Beamish
4. Bowes Railway
Address: Springwell Rd, Gateshead NE9 7QJ
Operating Season and Days: Thursday, Friday and Saturday
Prices: Adult: £5 / Child: £2
Support Group: No formal support group, but volunteering is possible
5. Bressingham Steam and Gardens
Address: Low Road, Diss IP22 2AA
Operating Season and Days: Late March to October: Daily
Prices: Adult: £15.44 / Child: £9.99
Support Group: No formal support group, but volunteering is possible
6. Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
Address: Quainton Road Station, Station Rd, Quainton, Aylesbury HP22 4BY
Operating Season and Days: April to October: Steaming Days on Sundays, Bank Holidays & most Wednesdays during school holidays
Prices: Adult: £12 / Child: £8
Support Group: Quainton Railway Society
7. Coleford Great Western Museum
Address: The Old Railway Station, Railway Drive, Coleford GL16 8RH, UK
Operating Season and Days: Friday and Saturday afternoons
Prices: Adult: £4 / Child: £2
Support Group: No formal support group
8. Colonel Stephens Railways Museum
Address: Next to Tenterden Station TN30 6HE
Operating Season and Days: Easter to end of October on days when trains on Kent & East Sussex Railway are running.
Prices: Free
Support Group: The Museum is maintained by the Kent and East Sussex Railway, in respect of which membership is possible and encouraged
9. Crewe Heritage Centre
Address: Vernon Way, Crewe CW1 2DB
Operating Season and Days: April to October: Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays
Prices: Adult: £7 / Child: £5
Support Group: Support is via direct membership of the Centre
10. Danum Gallery Rail Heritage Centre
Danum Gallery, Library and Museum, Waterdale, Doncaster DN1 3BZ
Operating Season and Days: Monday to Saturday
Prices: Free
Support Group: No formal support group
www.dglam.org.uk/rail-heritage
11. Didcot Railway Centre (Great Western Society)
Address: Station Road, Didcot OX11 7NJ
Operating Season and Days: Varies (see website): Have Steam Days (steam on demonstration lines) OR Demonstration Days (no live steam)
Prices: Steam Days £16.50 (A) £12.25 (Child) / Discovery Days £9.80 (A) £9.00 child
Support Group: Owner and support of the Didcot Railway Centre is through the Great Western Society
www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk
[For fuller particulars, see entry in 'Traditional Railway Society' section under heading 'Historical Railway Societies']
12. East Anglia Railway Museum
Address: Station Road, Wakes Colne, Colchester CO6 2DS
Operating Season and Days: Weekends and Wednesdays
Prices: Adult: £8 / Child: £4
Support Group: Support is via direct membership of the Museum
13. Epping Signalling Museum (Epping Signal Cabin)
Address: Epping Museum, Station Road, Epping, Essex, CM16 4HW.
Opening Times: Outside winter months, open on Saturday’s (10am-4.30pm)
Prices: Free, with cash donations appreciated
Museum Support: Online membership (fee)/ volunteers encouraged
14. Head of Steam (Darlington Railway Centre and Museum)
Address: North Road Station, Station Road, Darlington DL3 6ST
Operating Season and Days: April to September (Tuesday to Sunday) / Oct to March (Wednesday to Sunday)
Prices: Adult: £ £4.95 / Child: £3
Support Group: Support is via direct membership of the Museum
15. Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway Museum
Address: Irchester Country Park, Irchester, Wellingborough NN29 7DL
Operating Season and Days: Sundays
Prices: Free
Support Group: The Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway Trust
www.irchesterrailwaymuseum.co.uk
16. Locomotion, Shildon
Address: Dale Road Industrial Estate, Shildon DL4 2RE
Operating Season and Days: Wednesday to Sunday
Prices: Adult: Free
Support Group: Friends of the National Railway Museum - North East Branch
17. London Transport Museum
Address: The Piazza, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7BB
Operating Season and Days: Daily (except 24 to 26 December and 1 January)
Prices: Adult: £21 / Child: £20
Support Group: Corporate Membership is sought
18. Mangapps Railway Museum
Address: Southminster Road, Burnham-on-Crouch CM0 8QG
Operating Season and Days: Varies (see website for details) (August: Daily) (Spring to Autumn: weekends)
Prices: Adult: £14 / Child: £7
Support Group: No formal support group, but volunteering is possible
19. Midland Railway - Butterley
Address: Butterley Station, off B6179, Ripley DE5 3QZ
Operating Season and Days: March to October (weekends): April to October (also Wednesdays): August: Daily
Prices: Admission to Butterley comes with train fare. Contact Railway as fares vary for particular days.
Support Group: Midland Railway Trust
www.midlandrailway-butterley.co.uk
[For fuller particulars, see entry in 'Traditional Railway Society' section under heading 'Historical Railway Societies']
20. National Railway Museum
Address: Leeman Road, York YO26 4XJ
Operating Season and Days: Wednesday to Sunday
Prices: Free
Support Group: Friends of the National Railway Museum
21. Rocks By Rail (Living Ironstone Museum)
Address: Ashwell Road, Cottesmore, Rutland, LE15 7BX
Operating Season and Days: Varies (see website for details)
Prices: Operational Steam Days: £10 (A) £6 (child) / Non-Operational Steam Days: £6 (A) £4 (child)
Support Group: Direct membership of the Museum
22. Science and Industry Museum, Manchester
Address: Liverpool Road, Manchester M3 4FP
Operating Season and Days: Daily (except 24 to 26 December and 1 January)
Prices: Free
Support Group: Corporate Membership is sought. Volunteering also possible.
www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk
23. STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway
Address: Fire Fly Avenue, Swindon SN2 2TA
Operating Season and Days: Daily (except 24 to 26 December and 1 January)
Prices: Adult: £ £11.30 / Child: £8.40
Support Group: Friends of Swindon Railway Museum
24. Yeovil Railway Centre
Address: Yeovil Junction Station, Stoford, Yeovil BA22 9UU
Operating Season and Days: Sunday mornings plus ‘Steam/Diesel Train Days’ on various Sundays (April to September)
Prices: Adult: £9 / Child: £4
Support Group: South West Main Line Steam Company
www.yeovilrailway.freeservers.com
Isle of Man
25. Isle of Man Railway Museum
Address: Station Road, Port Erin, Isle, Isle of Man
Operating Season and Days: March to October on Steam Train Operating Days
Prices: Adult: £2 / Child: £1
Support Group: No formal support group
www.visitisleofman.com/experience/port-erin-railway-museum-p1293591
Northern Ireland
26. Ulster Transport Museum
Address: 153 Bangor Road, Cultra, Holywood BT18 0EU
Operating Season and Days: Tuesdays to Sundays
Prices: Adult: £9.90/ Child: £6.05
Support Group: Support is via direct membership of the Museum
27. Whitehead Railway Museum
Address: Castleview Road, Whitehead, Carrickfergus BT38 9NA
Operating Season and Days: Thursday to Saturday
Prices: Adult: £7 / Child: £5
Support Group: Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
Scotland
28. Lathamond Railway Museum
Address: M90 Commerce Park, Lathalmond, Dunfermline KY12 0SJ
Operating Season and Days: April to October (Sundays)
Prices: Adult: £3 / Child: £1.50
Support Group: No formal support group for which membership is sought
29. Museum of Scottish Railways
Address: Bo'ness Station, EH51 9AR
Operating Season and Days: Late March to end of October
Prices: Adult: £7 / Child: £2
Support Group: The Scottish Railway Preservation Society
www.srps.org.uk/related/sre.htm
30. Riverside Museum (Glasgow Museum of Transport)
Address: 100 Pointhouse Road, Partick, Glasgow G3 8RS
Operating Season and Days: Daily (except 24 to 26 December and 31 Dec to 2 January)
Prices: Free
Support Group: Support is via direct membership of the Museum
www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/venues/riverside-museum
Wales
31. Narrow Gauge Railway Museum - Gwynedd
Address: Wharf Station, Neptune Road, Tywyn LL36 9EY
Operating Season and Days: Days public trains are running on the Talyllyn Railway
Prices: Free
Support Group: Friends of the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum
www.narrowgaugerailwaymuseum.org.uk
32. Penrhyn Castle Railway Museum
Address: Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 4HT
Operating Season and Days: Varies (see website for details)
Prices: Adult: £10 / Child: £5
Support Group: Museum is owned by the National Trust. Support of the Museum is possible through membership of the National Trust
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/penrhyn-castle-and-garden/railway-museum-at-penrhyn-castle