Railfest 2012

    Tickets | Chuggington | Timetable and events | Vehicles | Getting here | Take part | Groups

    Get fired up at Britain's biggest rail celebration

    Book your ticket now for Britain's biggest ever gathering of rail record breakers. See speed legends Flying Scotsman, Class 395, East Coast 91110, Tornado and many more, across a mind-blowing space the size of 11 football pitches. Download leaflet | Download map

    Your day ticket gives you unlimited access to our daily programme: 9.30am to 5.30pm daily, with rides 10am to 5pm. (Non-Railfest visitors: the rest of the museum will be free admission as usual.)

    • Take a ride on standard gauge, narrow gauge and miniature railways
    • Climb inside the drivers' cabs and stand on the footplates
    • Stop by the Marketplace and find everything from models to momentos
    • Traintastic activities in our Chuggington activity area
    • Get up to date with today's railway in our Rail Arena
    • Marvel at a world in miniature at the steam model railway layout
    • Take time out in our family chillout area
    • Spotlight talks, live music, theatre shows and special events

    Keep up to date with our latest Railfest news and event programme by signing up to our newsletter

    Buy tickets
    Buy now and get fast track entry

    Chuggington activity area

    For a traintastic time at Railfest, bring your Koko, Brewster and Wilson fan (whether young or old) to our Chuggington Activity Area.

    Every fan who visits our Depot will receive a special Chuggington book which links the animated favourites to their original vehicles (look out for two at Railfest!). Bring your camera: younger trainspotters get the chance to dress up as one of the famous Chuggers.

    Get crafty with our Deltic and Brewster make-and-take activity. Plus see our giant Wilson model made out of Megablocks – and guess the number of blocks used for your chance to win a huge Chuggington prize.

    The Family Chill-out Area located in our Learning Platform is the perfect place to unwind. Enjoy a variety of train-themed TV shows on the big screen, and play with Brewster and other toys in our special Chuggington playspace.

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    Tickets

    We are expecting a high demand for tickets for all events and advance booking is recommended.

    Book in advance* On the day
    Daytime pass: main Railfest event with cab access, rides.
    Adult £13 £15
    Child (2 - 15 yrs. Under-2s go free) £8 £10
    2 adults + 2 children £35 £40
    2 adults + 1 children £30 £34
    1 adult + 2 children £25 £28
    Evening ticket: enjoy the sights after hours. more info
    Adult (8 or 9 June) £13 £15
    Daytime + Evening (8 or 9 June) - phone only -- £25
    Photo event: get up-close snaps. Entry limited to 400. more info
    Adult (4 or 5 June) £50 £50
    Group ticket offer more info
    Group organiser goes free with groups of 15 or more - phone only call 0870 870 4840
    Buy tickets
    Buy now and get fast track entry

    * You will need access to a printer to book online. Online sales end at midnight on 1 June 2012. If you book by phone (0870 870 4840), a £1.50 booking fee will be added to your total order. Phone sales end at 6pm on 22 May 2012

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    Special events

    Opening event
    On 2 June, Railfest will be formally opened with East Coast No.91110 being renamed 'Battle of Britain Memorial Flight'; Carol Vorderman unveiling the loco; and a flypast by the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. This image licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

    Photo event
    Get up-close snaps on 4 June (6.30pm – 8.30pm) and 5 June (7am – 9am), with locos fired up and in light steam (family offer and rides closed). Tickets sold separately and aimed at adults: only 400 available. Buy tickets.

    Evening ticket
    Enjoy the awe-inspiring sights after hours on 8 and 9 June (6.30pm – 9.30pm). Some rides open until 9pm, but family offer closed. Tickets sold separately and aimed at adults. Buy tickets.

    Railway poetry
    6 June. Let poet Ian McMillan and cartoonist Tony Husband entertain you with their Railfest inspired words and pictures.

    Ollie Mealing
    4, 5 June. Card trickster Ollie Mealing will be working his magic with the Limited Edition Railfest Top Trumps cards. Will he catch you out?

    David Charlesworth
    5-10 June. Artist and illustrator David Charlesworth GRA will be capturing the atmosphere of Railfest on canvas.

    John Wigston
    2-7 June. John Wigston GRA will be searching out the best vantage points to produce some of his wonderfully detailed pencil sketches.

    Timetable

    Subject to change. Click the blue arrows to change day. Click individual events for more info.

    Opening event in conjunction with:

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    Vehicles

    Not all locos are here for the full nine days. More to be announced; all vehicles subject to change. Show all names

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    How to get here

    Please travel by public transport. There will be no public parking during Railfest except for a limited number of level access spaces for blue badge holders. To book a level access space, call 0844 815 3139.

    Rail: We are only a few minutes walk away from York rail station. Railfest ticket holders receive a special voucher for £5 off their next booking when booking travel with our partners redspottedhanky. The special offer code will be on your ticket. Terms and conditions for the redspottedhanky offer

    Bus: The Rawcliffe Park and Ride (Green Line 2) picks up and drops off just outside our museum. Other park and ride services run to York city centre: see the First Group website.

    Walking: We are 10 minutes' walk from York city centre, and a few minutes' walk from York railway station: see the map above.

    Road Train: The Road Train runs daily from Duncombe Place (next to York Minster) and departs every 30 minutes from 11.15am to 4.15pm. A charge applies.

    For accommodation and information about York, see the Visit York website.

    Access and facilities

    There will be a level route to as much of the Railfest site as possible. You will be able to get close to all the vehicles. A small number of vehicles will be positioned alongside platforms, but access to the cabs of most vehicles will be by steps. We hope to have accessible carriages running on the standard gauge, narrow gauge and miniature railway rides.

    There will be catering onsite - more details soon. There will be limited parking for buggies. Baby change is available in the museum toilets as normal. Lockers will not be available.

    If you're disabled and require a carer, they'll be able to get in free with your ticket. Call 0870 870 4840 for more info.

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    Take part

    If you're looking to offer potential exhibits or get involved in the event in any way, please email:

    Bob Gwynne, vehicles coordinator
    vehicles.railfest@nrm.org.uk

    Julie Spowart, trade & event coordinator
    tradeevent.railfest@nrm.org.uk

    Charlotte Hughes, corporate sponsorship coordinator
    corporatesponsorship.railfest@nrm.org.uk

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    Group tickets

    Take advantage of our special group offer: the group organiser goes free for bookings of 15 or more people. There will be no coach parking available: groups can be dropped off at the turning circle (in front of our Leeman Road entrance) or at the coach drop-off point by the York Memorial Gardens. To book group tickets, call 0870 870 4840.

    Keep up to date with our latest news for groups by signing up to our newsletter.

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    Downloads

    Download our free Railfest 2012 wallpapers.

    Wallpaper 1: 1024 x 768 | 1280 x 800 | 1280 x 1024 | 1440 x 900 | 1680 x 1050 | 1920 x 1200

    Wallpaper 2: 1024 x 768 | 1280 x 800 | 1280 x 1024 | 1440 x 900 | 1680 x 1050 | 1920 x 1200 | mobile

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    Hawk image by Bob Whitehead. Beavertail image by RVP Ltd. Sweet Pea Image by Middleton Railway Trust Collection. Tyseley L94 image by Phil Neale. Peggy image by Geoff Cryer. Pictures used under a Creative Commons license: Carol Vorderman by 21stCenturyGreenstuff; Battle of Britain Memorial Flight by Purple sea donkey; 91110 by Matt Buck; Class 395 by Matt Buck; 43159 by Matt Buck; Oliver Cromwell by D Rawlings; Princess Elizabeth by David Ingham; Prairie by Ashley Dace; Castle Donington by Don Davison; Mardy Monster by Paul Stainthorp; Teddy by Paul King; Bahamas by helena.40proof; Sir Nigel Gresley by Phil Sangwell; Coal Tank by Dr Neil Clifton; Furness Railway No.20 by Tall Fool; Palmerston by Cglynj; Stepney by Christopher Ward; 31190 by Alan Murray-Rust; 50008 by Phil Sangwell; 63601 by Our Phellap; Super Voyager by Martin J Galloway; D200 by Tony Hisgett; DRS Class 20 by Joshua Brown; DRS Class 37 by Phil Sangwell; DRS Class 57 by David Ingham; Pendennis Castle by Shirokazan; Thunderbird by superbfc; Puffing Billy replica by Pauline Eccles

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