The NYMR is a fully accredited museum with the Museum Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). This is in recognition of the work the Trust and its operator undertake to manage, preserve and maintain its Collection for the benefit of the public for years to come.

The Trust holds a wide-ranging Collection covering:

• its rolling stock, much of which is in regular use;
• signs, notices and signals which all support the operation of the railway day to day; and
• artefacts and a substantial number of plans, architectural drawings, maps, papers, books and small artefacts

The papers and small artefacts held by the Trust are housed in a purpose built Archive facility and the Collection is available for research purposes by appointment with the Archive Team.

Whilst the aim is to continue to develop the Archive and items are still being added to the Collection, anyone considering making a donation for inclusion in the Archive is requested to complete an initial enquiry form for consideration by the Archive Team as the first step. The Archive is not able to accept every item(s) offered to it and this may be due to:

• Not relevant to the Collection (see below)
• Archive already has the material being offered
• Provenance/proof of ownership/terms of offer cannot be proven
• Condition of the object

Potential donors are requested to complete the Making a Donation (pdf) enquiry form to find out if the item(s) being offered would be of interest for the Collection. We would request that items are not left at the railway at this stage. If items are left without prior agreement, such items will be considered and if suitable will be added to the Collection but, if not, the NYMRT reserves the right to dispose of the items by sale or otherwise if they are not appropriate to the Collection.

Sam 'Nipper' Perkins - Audio-Visual Story

In 2019, working in collaboration with the LNERCA and NYMR Education department, an Audio-Visual Story exploring the working lives of Victorian railway nippers, pantry boys & stewards who joined the NER Battalion in WWI was created.

Collecting Policy

The Trust collects material relating to the history of the railways in the North East of England (defined as the operating territory of the North Eastern Railway as at 31st December 1922); in particular material relating to the Whitby and Pickering railway and to other railways of the North York Moors area, from the start of the railway era to the Beeching period’ (c1825 – 1960s).

Archival material will also be collected up to the present day, particularly NYMR records and ephemera but also material related to the later era of BR and its successors, especially if it has a bearing on equipment used, or operating on, the NYMR or items relating to the operations of the NYMR itself.

We regret that we do not hold staff and employment records. These are housed within The National Archive at Kew.

To volunteer within the Archive Department visit Volunteer

For any queries about the Collection, please contact: Head of Collections Administration c/o 12 Park Street, Pickering, North Yorkshire, YO18 7AJ or email [email protected]