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Pictures: The latest plans for the National Railway Museum revealed – including a balcony and café

Highly theatrical… the new-look Central Hall of the National Railway Museum. Images: planning documents / Feilden Fowles
@ Changing city

A detailed application for the new Central Hall at the National Railway Museum (NRM) has been submitted to City of York Council.

The new ‘welcome space’ and gallery will join the museum’s Great Hall and Station Hall, which are currently separated by Leeman Road. 

The planning submission follows a public consultation which included an in-person exhibition at the NRM supported by a virtual consultation.

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The balcony over the central orientation hall

Museum bosses hope the building will help improve exhibits and attract more visitors from around the world, making the NRM the “world’s railway museum”.

Central Hall will feature a gallery showcasing the latest innovations in rail technology, a café overlooking the new museum square, a shop, flexible event space and new visitor facilities, including a fully accessible toilet.

It will also include a new ‘Wonderlab’, aimed at inspiring children to think like engineers using interactive exhibits and games.

Major milestone

The Museum Square

The plans form an early stage of the delivery of York Central, the 45-hectare regeneration site which is a partnership between Network Rail, Homes England, City of York Council and the museum. 

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps granted proposals by the York Central Partnership to close Leeman Road last year, allowing the NRM to press ahead with its plans.

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The café

The improvements are expected to be completed by 2025, which will mark the museum’s fiftieth anniversary.

NRM director Judith McNicol said: “We are very pleased to reach this milestone and submit the planning application. Central Hall is a major part of the wider Vision 2025 strategy which will not only improve our offer, but also help us to inspire the next generation of engineers.

“We would like to thank everyone who came along to our engagement sessions and to those who viewed the exhibition and contributed feedback online – it’s helping us to ensure that our plans for Central Hall reflect what our visitors and community wants us to be now and in the future.

The northern approach
The vision for the renewed National Railway Museum

“We are looking forward to continuing these relationships as the scheme progresses.”

Award winning architecture practice Feilden Fowles is leading the design team on Central Hall, having won an international design competition in 2020.

You can see the designs on the City of York Council planning application site here.