Vision 2025, the £55m transformation of the National Railway Museum in York and Locomotion in Shildon, is our five-year journey to become the World’s Railway Museum. It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to connect the past with the present to inspire the innovators, the engineers and the problem-solvers of the future.
So, it’s only right that environmental sustainability is embedded into this journey. It colours and informs our approach for design, construction, operation and engagement.
Natural materials, passive design and minimal intervention are our guiding principles. Central Hall, a new building that will be at the heart of visitor’s welcome, is a pioneering example of sustainable design, using a wooden structure and natural light. It will demonstrate a holistic approach to creating and operating a building with minimal environmental impact.
We will be working closely with our new term maintenance contractor, CBRE, to ensure that the operation of the buildings is considered during design. Through re-use of our current infrastructure and minimising new construction, we will identify the balance between embodied carbon and longevity.
Vision 2025 will play a really important role in reducing our scope 1 and 2 direct carbon emissions in York and in Shildon—most of which comes from use of natural gas for our heating.
To reduce energy demands of existing buildings—where roofs are replaced, we will do so with improved insulation and where current heating systems are updated we will seek to replace these with more efficient systems, lessening our dependency on gas boilers where possible.
Gas accounts for over three quarters of the operational carbon footprint at NRM and Locomotion, so investment in alternative heating technology will be a significant step in reducing our carbon footprint.
In line with the Estate Decarbonisation Strategy, Vision 2025 will create a site-wide Masterplan for Energy and carbon reduction. This will address four key areas of improvement: building fabric, heating appliances, management systems and monitoring.
Development of the York Central site—our new neighbourhood—will transform former industrial areas into new green spaces, providing access to nature—supporting physical and mental wellbeing for our visitors, our local residents, and for all of those who work at the National Railway Museum.
At Locomotion environmental considerations were built in from day one, when the Welcome building was designed 16 years ago it has solar cells on the roof and underfloor heating.
Through Building Two we will build on this legacy, implementing a design with minimal need for mechanical heating and cooling. To support the additional electricity demand from alternative heating methods, we will also explore the viability of renewable electricity, making future installations much easier and cost-effective.
We have been improving our green space at Locomotion for several years including the introduction of wildflower planting and we will grow this legacy across both museum sites, drawing links between nature and the railways who are responsible for forging green corridors across the country.
Just a word now, on steam.
I very strongly believe that the museum’s journey towards net zero is not incompatible with operating working steam locomotives. We are committed to the continued operation of rail vehicles, including steam locomotives, at the National Railway Museum, Locomotion and Science and Industry Museum.
What I want to stress is the incredibly positive role that working steam engines can play in bringing the collection to life and to inspire and educate our visitors. People expect to see a railway locomotive at work and enjoy being able to travel behind one in operation.
And beyond our museums, we will continue limited main line rail operations with locomotives such as Flying Scotsman and Oliver Cromwell. We’ve enjoyed a long history of lending these ambassadors of our collection for operation to museums and heritage railways up and down the country, and this will continue, creating valued relationships and growing new audiences.
We are working hard to understand the full environmental impact of steam locomotives across the country; however, our current estimate is that operating rail vehicles account for 3% of our overall carbon footprint.
But there is always more we can do. Our strategy focuses on engines that use less coal, and run cleaner and we are working with heritage railways and our partners in the rail industry to find most sustainable way to source coal, as well as exploring the use of synthetic coal—where this can be produced sustainably.
At the risk of repeating myself, Vision 2025 really is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
Like the climate challenge we all face, our response to this opportunity is driven by a sense of urgency and purpose: to think big, to be a responsible tenant in our small patch of this planet, and to leave a positive legacy for those who follow.
Solar + thermal panels on roof to maximise….for heating,electric power for your buildings+money back in your account ….don’t like your design of that roof such a waste,by all means open it out make the hole bigger put wider balcony…this so called footprint is ********..I have got to travel from Cornwall to you …. as like loads of people from all over Uk 🇬🇧….
Dear sir/madam it’s looks outstanding the vision for new look. I have missed not being able to visit museum. What would bring in a lot of revenue for museum would to do a Raffle To ride on flying Scotsman for all winners from York to London and because you have train full of winners you sell lots of tickets because people would know there’s few hundred seats there’s a good chance of winning.
My initial impression from the little you’ve shown is one of too much emphasis on the building and not enough on ‘Railway’. You know, what the museum is supposedly about.
I’ve long felt the NRM has lost its way and proposals seem to emphasis that. I used to visit the NRM regularly but on recent visits to York (around 20 in the last 4 years), I’ve not even bothered visiting the museum. Many of my friends & colleagues feel the same way. The NRM used to be superb, not any more sadly.
I personally think that stopping the running of any steam locomotive that is presently capable of running under power and is currently also doing so would be a big mistake! Steam as a power source is far more environmentally friendly than diesel where the byproducts are less harmful than heavy diesel fuels. What is the problem with steam, a little soot and Ash?? I would much rather see a steam locomotive in action than their modern replacements as after all steam locos had little issues with “the wrong kind of snow etc”
Well they haven’t said they’re stopping using steam locomotives, as it’s only 3% of their emissions, but looking at further ways to limit that with alternatives whilst still using steam. Also, “A little soot and ash” isn’t the problem with steam engines, it’s the sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides that come with them…
Museum turning into a play centre and to commercial and it is becoming a play for not railway people who like the museum I have been coming to the museum since I was about 3 years old.
Disappointed a lot and turning into a bad Museum from aged 15 years old
I was going to visit over the Christmas period, but after reading net zero building plans and the new format coming into the railway museum, I don’t think I’ll bother. It’ll then be a place for schools to bring children along,so they can be brainwashed into the net zero scam. Glad I visited York railway museum 5 years ago, as it was then, which was remarkable