Oliver Cromwell hauled the very last steam-powered train on British Railways, as diesels and electric locos took over. Courtesy NRM
Were you working on a steam railway in 1968? Did you wave goodbye to mainline steam trains with a sad heart? If so, the National Railway Museum wants to hear from you.
In the run up to their '1968 and All That' event, marking the 40th anniversary of the end of steam haulage on Britain’s railways, the National Railway Museum (NRM) in York is appealing to the public for personal recollections about the time when steam ended.
The museum is hoping to assemble an archive of memories from people across the nation, especially those personally involved in the last rites of steam. Whether it be people who witnessed the last ever British Rail steam-hauled run on August 11 1968, or someone who worked on the engine.
Matt Thompson, event organiser at the NRM said: “We are hoping to hear from enthusiasts who scrambled up steep hillsides, binoculars and cameras in hand to watch the last ever BR steam train, the '15 Guinea Special' go by, or the crews who manned Oliver Cromwell on that emotional day.”
Evening Star, the last mainline steam locomotive built in Britain will also be on display as part of the event. Courtesy NRM
The nine-day event will run from May 24 to June 1 2008, and visitors will be able to enjoy theatre performances and steam train rides, as well as the opportunity to see an array of locomotives including Oliver Cromwell, which was the last mainline passenger steam train in service.
Oliver Cromwell, part of the NRM’s collection, has been undergoing restoration at the Great Central Railway at Loughborough for the last four years, and will be unveiled in all her glory at the event in May.
Tickets will cost £11 on the day for adults or £7 for concessions. Discounts are available for advance bookings. Please call 0844 4771 000 or visit www.ticketweb.co.uk
Those happy to talk about their recollections should email pressoffice@nrm.org.uk or write to Steam Memories, Press Office, National Railway Museum, Leeman Road, York, YO26 4XJ.
