Leaving Yokohama, Japan, in the bowels of a huge RO RO ship
Arriving at Southampton
National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI)
In 2001 I negotiated initially with JR Central, later with JR West, to donate an original series 0 skinkansen driving car to the National Railway Museum (NRM) in York. At this time the series 0 were being withdrawn from service which they entered in 1964 or a year or two thereafter. We are in Japan to see the highly polished and renovated engine leave for its long journey to the UK in a huge container ship. We were also at Southampton to welcome it to the UK and finally at its unveiling at the NRM in York. An account of this can be found in
My Road to the National
Railway Museum
Much to my surprise this lead to an invitation to join the Board of Trustees of the NMSI, the parent of the Science Museum in South Kensington, the National Railway Museum in York and the now National Media Museum in Bradford. Since 2002 this has proved to be an extremely stimulating experience. Each trustee is given other tasks: I have been on the audit committee of the Science Museum, Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Shildon project and a member of the Advisory Committee of NRM. The Shildon project is a joint venture between Sedgefield District Council and the NRM and has involved the creation of the new railway museum, Locomotion, at Shildon, County Durham, the birthplace of the Stockton and Darlington Railway. My Trusteeship was renewed by invitation of the Prime Minister for a further four year term in 2006.
Welcomed at Southampton by the Director of NRM, Andrew Scott
Finally on display in the Great hall NRM next to Mallard
(Mallard was retired just about when the Series 0 entered service in 1964).
The building of the new museum at Shildon went without a hitch and was completed in a remarkably short time
The unofficial opening, 25 September 2004: RAS with the Major of Shildon,
(Right) The official opening, 22 October 2004, RAS with ?? then the Member for Sedgefield (including Shildon).
