Where to find steam train expertise?

[Ogma]

Hi all,

I'm writing a short story at the moment involving a steam locomotive and I was hoping to find someone with an interest in ca. 1850-1860's trains in the U.K. I've done some research on the subject, but I want to make sure the details I am including in the story make sense. Where would be the best place to such a person?

 

[Ray McCarthy]

There is at least one expert here, but there are LOADS of good UK vintage steam railway club/forums online. Search.

 

[millymollymo]

York's National Railway Museum will also see you right. Lots of help and research there

 

[Susan Boulton]

Ask yourself how much indepth research do you need to do for a short story? I did loads for my novel, Oracle, but very little made it onto the page. A trip on a stream train and a visit to York Museum helped me far more than all the technical details.

 

[Ogma]

Thanks very much for your advice, folks. Very much appreciated.

 

[Kerrybuchanan]

If you have no joy at York, try the Folk and Transport Museum at Cultra near Belfast. If you give them a call/email they can pass you on to their teams of enthusiasts who restore and run these incredible engines. If you ever find yourself over here, it is well worth visiting, because there are dozens of engines you are allowed to scramble around and there are no "Do Not Touch" signs like in the National Railway Museum in York. They also run working trains regularly so you could probably get up on the footplate to experience it first hand.

If you are around the York area, do try the Steam train that runs from Pickering in North Yorkshire too.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Whitehead Co.Antrim has the Railway preservation Society I think. I've seen steam trains running there.

 

[Ogma]

Kerry and Ray,

Thanks so much. I will check them out.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Whitehead Co.Antrim has the Railway preservation Society I think. I've seen steam trains running there.

They do, and they're very active. Also, there are loads ot magazines - from memory Steam Engine is the biggest, I think - which any big neesagents should stock.