Visit to York including National Railway Museum

[RichmondCommu]

Hi everyone,

In the next few months I'm planning to drag my husband up to York to visit the NRM. Now I've been making some plans and need some advice! Please bear in mind that the last time I visited the museum was 30 years ago.

How long do we need in terms of hours to have a proper look round? Does the museum have a cafe? Are there any nice pubs near the museum? Finally is it worth trying to trick my husband into agreeing to stop the night in York so we can visit the exhibits at Shildon the following day?

Many thanks,

Angela

 

[Peter Mugridge]

It would take you about 3 to 5 hours to have a proper look round depending on how closely you study the exhibits.

There is a café - but it does cost a fair bit!

Yes, Shildon would be worth a visit as well. That would only take about 1½ to 2 hours to fully examine; an easy day trip from York but watch out for the "gap" in the timetable on the branch.

 

[bramling]

It would take you about 3 to 5 hours to have a proper look round depending on how closely you study the exhibits.

There is a café - but it does cost a fair bit!

Yes, Shildon would be worth a visit as well. That would only take about 1½ to 2 hours to fully examine; an easy day trip from York but watch out for the "gap" in the timetable on the branch.

If visiting Shildon it’s well worth spending a few further hours exploring some of the Stockton & Darlington features in and around Shildon.

 

[ge-gn]

The York Tap on the station is well worth a visit on the pub front. Beautiful old Victorian refreshment room with a large choice of decent and interesting ales.

 

[gtis]

The York Tap on the station is well worth a visit on the pub front. Beautiful old Victorian refreshment room with a large choice of decent and interesting ales.

I think there are two pubs on York station. I went to the York tap plenty of beer to choose from, too many for me to choose from I am a johns smiths person myself
Neil

 

[RichmondCommu]

If visiting Shildon it’s well worth spending a few further hours exploring some of the Stockton & Darlington features in and around Shildon.

Thanks for the suggestion but I think my husband might have reached the end of his tether at that point.

 

[DarloRich]

How long do we need in terms of hours to have a proper look round? Does the museum have a cafe? Are there any nice pubs near the museum? Finally is it worth trying to trick my husband into agreeing to stop the night in York so we can visit the exhibits at Shildon the following day?

3 hours?.
Yes ( if quite expensive but nice).
YES. Many pubs!.
Yes. But well worth an overnight as York is a lovely city and worth exploring. ( i lived there so am biased!)

 

[RichmondCommu]

3 hours?.
Yes ( if quite expensive but nice).
YES. Many pubs!.
Yes. But well worth an overnight as York is a lovely city and worth exploring. ( i lived there so am biased!)

Okay thanks for this. Will book train tickets and hotel accommodation tonight. Will aim for the end of November I think before it gets too busy with Christmas.

Many thanks for information everyone

Best wishes,

Angela

 

[Meole]

Shildon has a nice small cafe and needs all the support it can get, the service train to Shildon passes the Head of Steam museum in Darlington North Road station of course, restricted opening in winter.

 

[DarloRich]

Okay thanks for this. Will book train tickets and hotel accommodation tonight. Will aim for the end of November I think before it gets too busy with Christmas.

Many thanks for information everyone

Best wishes,

Angela

let us know what else you fancy doing and we might be able to offer some advice

 

[RichmondCommu]

let us know what else you fancy doing and we might be able to offer some advice

Well we will be in York just before 10.00 so I think we will go to the Viking museum too. A list of pubs would be brill. Thank you.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Shildon has a nice small cafe and needs all the support it can get, the service train to Shildon passes the Head of Steam museum in Darlington North Road station of course, restricted opening in winter.

Okay we are definitely going to Shildon. Many years ago when I was at Uni I went out with a lad from Shildon. It was a rough old place then and I don't expect that it's improved much in the last 33 years! Bearing this in mind we are highly unlikely to stray from the café!

Please understand that I'm no snob. My Grandad was a coal miner and so I know all about graft.

 

[Darandio]

Yes, Shildon would be worth a visit as well. That would only take about 1½ to 2 hours to fully examine; an easy day trip from York but watch out for the "gap" in the timetable on the branch.

The gap isn't there now, it's an hourly service.

 

[mushroomchow]

Well we will be in York just before 10.00 so I think we will go to the Viking museum too. A list of pubs would be brill. Thank you.

King's Head on the riverside is always a good bet, it's a Samuel Smith's so cheap as chips.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

The gap isn't there now, it's an hourly service.

When did they fill it? There was still a gap last year when I went... I very nearly got caught out by it!

 

[Darandio]

When did they fill it? There was still a gap last year when I went... I very nearly got caught out by it!

The May timetable, many changes from Bishop Auckland through to Saltburn.

 

[trebor79]

The Darlington North Road museum is excellent. I think it's actually one of the best museums I've ever been in (this was 20 years ago).
Most places in the north east are/were a bit gritty. I remember my mother and I went for lunch in a Darlington pub after a visit to the museum. We'd sat down and ordered before we became aware was rather run down, holes in the carpet, peeling wallpaper etc. Full of people though. An old lady nearby must have caught the look we were giving each other, leaned across and said quietly "I know it doesn't look like much, but the food is excellent".
And it was!

Took my wife on a tour of the riverside in Newcastle and was dismayed to find all of the abandoned warehouses had been demolished or converted into yuppy flats. Like a lot of places, I can't help but feel a lot of character is lost in the process of regeneration.

I digress!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

The May timetable, many changes from Bishop Auckland through to Saltburn.

Yes - that is after my visit. That makes it easier to do another trip... no need to clockwatch for half the day!

 

[RichmondCommu]

The Darlington North Road museum is excellent. I think it's actually one of the best museums I've ever been in (this was 20 years ago).
Most places in the north east are/were a bit gritty. I remember my mother and I went for lunch in a Darlington pub after a visit to the museum. We'd sat down and ordered before we became aware was rather run down, holes in the carpet, peeling wallpaper etc. Full of people though. An old lady nearby must have caught the look we were giving each other, leaned across and said quietly "I know it doesn't look like much, but the food is excellent".
And it was!

Took my wife on a tour of the riverside in Newcastle and was dismayed to find all of the abandoned warehouses had been demolished or converted into yuppy flats. Like a lot of places, I can't help but feel a lot of character is lost in the process of regeneration.

I digress!

I didn't want to cause people to be offended. However when another girl aims a punch at you because you're from out of town and dating a local lad (not her ex either) that tends to stick in the memory!

More pub recommendations for York please.

Thanks very much,

Angela

 

[ge-gn]

More pub recommendations for York please.

Out of the back of the aforementioned York Tap on the station, bear left, cross the main road, head under the city wall and continue to head left you will find a little gem called the Maltings near the river that has barely changed in my 30 year drinking career. I mean that in a good way. Small cosy place, good selection of local beers. They do food, including a 'legendary' chilli (see the trip advisor print out on the wall....) although I haven't eaten there.

 

[Cowley]

I didn't want to cause people to be offended. However when another girl aims a punch at you because you're from out of town and dating a local lad (not her ex either) that tends to stick in the memory!

More pub recommendations for York please.

Thanks very much,

Angela

Blimey that sounds a bit rough!
I hope it worked out well you and the lad?
Going back to the NRM, I’ve only been there the once when we travelled to York on a railtour. I think we had about 4 hours there which was a decent amount of time to see all the interesting stuff.
This was about twelve years ago.

 

[SeanG]

Pubs in York, well in no particular order:

The Maltings
The Hop
The Kings Head
The Acomb
Brigantes
Duke of York
The Last Drop
Yorkshire Terrier
House of Trembling Madness - great beer shop too
Brew York is good too if you are into the more crafty side and want to drink in the brewery - worth a visit
Pvini has lots of crafty fizzy stuff if you are into that sort of thing

Hope that’s a good few to go at. I know it’s a railway forum but trains & (mostly) real ale do go hand in hand!

 

[IanD]

Pubs in York, well in no particular order:

The Maltings
The Hop
The Kings Head
The Acomb
Brigantes
Duke of York
The Last Drop
Yorkshire Terrier
House of Trembling Madness - great beer shop too
Brew York is good too if you are into the more crafty side and want to drink in the brewery - worth a visit
Pvini has lots of crafty fizzy stuff if you are into that sort of thing

Hope that’s a good few to go at. I know it’s a railway forum but trains & (mostly) real ale do go hand in hand!

All of the above, plus many more.

My personal favourite is The Blue Bell, lovely old pub - hopefully it's still open, last I heard the landlord of 25 (?) years was having trouble with the PubCo so could do with some some support.

Edit: Maybe not 25 years

 

[Big Tim]

Not sure about "The Acomb" - that's a fair way out of town in terms of a flying visit. (It's on a roundabout in the middle of a housing estate about two miles from the railway station).

The Ackhorne, however, on St Martin's Lane (just off Micklegate) is an excellent little place. If you venture a little further beyond The Ackorne, you will find the Golden Ball on your right hand side - this is a preserved multi roomed pub which sells some of the best beer in the city, and is a community co-operative venture. Leaving the Golden Ball, you can either head back the way you came into the heart of the city, or continue forwards to Skeldergate Bridge - turn right and you will find South Bank - there are some good watering holes here including the Swan on Bishopthorpe Road - the station is then only ten minutes wander back along Nunnery Lane and Queen Street.

Brigantes (also on Micklegate) is definitely worth stopping off at too - again about ten minutes stroll from the station.

Other recommendations above are sound, n.b. "Kings Arms" (not Kings Head) is the iconic pub by the river. One of my favourite summer venues with riverside seating to watch the world (and boats) go by, and as mentioned a Sam Smiths house so very reasonably priced. If the river is in flood though, it is not accessible.

Definitely do The Maltings - can be busy on a match day for York City if you hit it at the wrong time, but other than that it's a fantastic place for a pint, meal or a full blown session!

Enjoy the trip - I've lived here for many years and really take the place for granted and don't appreciate how lucky I am to have so many good pubs / attractions within a mile of my front door!

 

[IanD]

Not sure about "The Acomb" ...
The Ackhorne, however...

Oh yes, don't know how I missed that.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Many thanks to all of you for your pub suggestions. My husband and I love pubs and as we are staying over night in York I'm sure we'll have a lovely evening exploring all of your suggestions.

Thanks again,

Angela.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Blimey that sounds a bit rough!
I hope it worked out well you and the lad?

I went back to Shildon on several occasions out of loyalty to Chris. He was my first proper boy friend and we lasted two years from 18 to 20 ish. In the end we split up because we wanted different things out of life but we still send each other birthday and Christmas cards.

 

[70014IronDuke]

It would take you about 3 to 5 hours to have a proper look round depending on how closely you study the exhibits. ...

A couple of friends went to York over Christmas and came back with glowing reports of the city, including the railway museum. They are not enthusiasts at all - but were most impressed by the talks and spent four hours there. They were also amazed at how complicated a steam locomotive is. And they said they were also shocked to realise steam only finished in the UK in 1968 - they thought it had gone by the 1920s. (They were born in the Midlands in the early 60s.)

There is a café - but it does cost a fair bit!

This was their only complaint about the entire museum experience. Well, not so much the cost, but rather the tables were in desperate need of cleaning up when they were in there.