See Flying Scotsman, icon of steam, in York this April

Promotional blog provided by National Railway Museum

It’s the National Railway Museum’s 50^th birthday this year, and to help celebrate, the world’s most famous steam locomotive Flying Scotsman will be at the museum from 5-23 April. Entry to the museum is free, including access to Flying Scotsman!

You will be able to get up close to see inside the cab, and explore the locomotive’s legendary story within the Flying Scotsman: 100 Years, 100 Voices exhibition. Click here to find out more, and to book your free museum admission tickets in advance.

Add to the excitement with the Flying Scotsman Virtual Reality Experience. Step into a replica of Edinburgh Waverley station to put on your headset for a fully immersive journey through history. Guided by a cast of historic figures, you will be part of the key moments in Flying Scotsman’s story. Feel the wind in your hair and the heat of the firebox as you race to 100mph.

The National Railway Museum is a unique day out. Visitors have been making memories there since 1975 and within your free entry you can explore a huge collection of trains, iconic rail vehicles, and a treasure trove of artifacts. Railway Firsts is a pop up exhibition exploring well-known and unexpected ‘firsts’ that have shaped the railways and our lives, including everything from tunnelling to holidays. The museum has two café’s in which to refuel, and the littlest visitors will love the free play area for under 5s.

For a unique family experience at the museum, book tickets for Wonderlab: The Bramall Gallery. Designed in partnership with rail industry experts, it’s packed with exhibits to unleash your child’s inner engineer. Step into the human wind tunnel, launch a rocket, plan routes to send balls through the ‘Great Machine’, design structures to withstand an earthquake and build big in Play Revolution. Discover more with regular (explosive!) live science shows and demonstrations, and chat to the wonderful science ‘Explainers’ who are on hand to help you design, test and build your way through this truly hands-on space.

After all that exploring, treat tired feet to a fun trip back into town. The Road Train links the museum with York Minster and is by far the most fun way to travel as a family through York. The train runs every half an hour from the museum and Duncombe Place (York Minster). Simply get your tickets from the guard on board. The Road Train is wheelchair accessible.