Potential users should contact a library or archive well in advance of any proposed visit to establish the conditions under which admission may be permitted (including any charges), opening hours and to check on availability of material required and accessibility of catalogues.
This list, compiled by the Railway & Canal Historical Society, includes collections in the British Isles likely to be of more than local interest. For many purposes however, the researcher's first port of call should be their local record office or local studies collection. Local record offices are the main repositories for deposited plans and other legislative material relating to the construction of canals and railways; archives of navigations which did not become part of British Waterways; records of highway authorities, turnpike trusts, port authorities and municipal transport services; and private deposits which will include those of traders and transport contractors, manufacturers of transport equipment, and personal, family, estate, legal or commercial records which might bear on transport operations. Some local record offices are also designated repositories for records of railway companies not retained by the Public Record Office. For lists of repositories consult Archon, Archives in London & the M25 Area or Scottish Archive Network. A short list of local record offices with online catalogues and a list of picture archives (including film and maps) are also available. For a select list of local studies libraries consult Familia.
Most of the major libraries and a few of the archives listed here have online access to at least part of their catalogues from the links given; to search across the catalogues of most of the major national and university research libraries in the British Isles simultaneously for books, periodicals and maps use Copac. A parallel access point for archive collections held in UK universities is the Archives Hub.
Aberdeen
University Library Queen Mother Library, Meston Walk,
Aberdeen, AB9 2UE (01244 272579)
Contains the O' Dell Transport Collection: books and maps
concerning railways and other transport internationally primarily
from a geographical perspective; also archive material relating
to Great North of Scotland and other Scottish railways. Library
also holds G. W. Wilson photographic collection (much transport
interest).
Reference
SMITH, G. C. K. The O'Dell Transport Collection on local railway
history. Aberdeen University Review vol. 43 (1969) pp.
33-38.
Amberley
Museum Amberley, near Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 9LT (01798
831370)
Library holds a collection of photographs and other material
relating to industrial and narrow gauge railways, particularly in
the South of England. Other special interests of the Museum
(located in chalk pits) include road construction and local buses. Access by public
transport: Amberley station (National Rail) adjacent.
Ashford Library
Railway Research Room, Church Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 1QX (Kent
County Council Arts & Libraries) (01233 620649)
Significant collection of railway books, particularly relating to
the South East; some timetables and journal literature; accident
reports; maps and plans; videos. Some material available on loan
to local residents. Photographic collection (including Wakeman
albums). Access by public
transport: Ashford station (National Rail/Eurostar) nearby.
Bath Postal Museum 8 Broad Street,
Bath, BA1 5LJ (01225 460333) moving in 2006 to Green Street
Small research collection on postal history.
Beamish
The North of England Open Air Museum, Beamish, County Durham, DH9
0RG (0191 370 4000)
The Museum's considerable three-dimensional collections are
supplemented by its Regional Resource Centre including printed
material, trade literature, photographic library and oral history
recordings. Beamish has a special interest in railways of the
c.1825 era. Access by
prior appointment.
Birmingham Central Library
Paradise Circus, Birmingham, B3 3HQ (0121 235 4511)
Social Studies Dept includes Railway & Canal Historical
Society deposits (library; Baxter tramroad collection; Taylor
railway collection; Cohen collection related to Herefordshire
navigations), R. B. Wilson collection (mainly printed primary
sources relating to Great Western Railway and its constituents;
also Chester & Holyhead), W. H. Bett ticket collection, etc.
Local Studies Dept includes archives of Metropolitan-Cammell
(rail vehicle builders), Boulton & Watt (pumping engines for
canals, etc) and plans and other material relevant to West
Midlands. Photographic collections. Access by public transport: Birmingham
New Street station (National Rail) nearby.
Bodleian
Library Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3BG (01865 277000)
Major collection of material received on legal deposit, including
maps and Parliamentary publications. John Johnson Collection of
printed ephemera includes significant transport content.
Photographic collections (including aerial photos).
University of Bristol Library Tyndall
Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TJ (0117 928 8017)
Collection includes 19th-cent. controversial pamphlets, some of
transport interest, from Gladstone Library of National Liberal
Club. Archives include papers of the Brunel family of engineers and of Clifton Suspension Bridge
Trust.
Reference
LEE, NICK (comp). The Brunel collection. 1993.
British
Commercial Vehicle Museum
King Street, Leyland, Lancs., PR5 1LE (01772 451011)
Houses an extensive archive of photographs, records and technical literature.
Information included in
Archon.
The
British Library 96 Euston Road, St Pancras,
London, NW1 2DB (020 7412 7677) Catalogue
The national library: the major repository for all material
published in Britain and Ireland including books, periodicals,
national timetables, maps and Parliamentary publications. Special
collection of railway company prospectuses. Trade literature (ex
Patent Office Library). Department of Manuscripts (separate catalogue)
includes papers of C. B. Vignoles (railway engineer). Oriental
& India Office Collection. Images commercially available from
Heritage
Image Partnership. Access by public transport: King's Cross and St Pancras
stations (National Rail/London Underground) nearby.
British Library Newspaper
Library Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5HE (020 7412
7353) Catalogue
The BL' s repository for daily and weekly publications. Access by public
transport: Colindale station (London Underground) opposite.
British
Library of Political and Economic Science London School of
Economics, 10 Portugal Street, London, WC2A 2HD (020 7955 7229)
Holdings reflect a long-standing interest in the study of
transport from an economic viewpoint, including books and reports
deposited by Sir William Acworth and others, and material from
interest groups. Charles Hadfield's British canals research
papers. Two 19th century collections of miscellaneous material:
Early British railways, comp. by Septimus Bell, and Railway
information, comp. by E. B. Ivatts. Major collection of
Parliamentary publications. Collection of transport-related pamphlets also available electronically.
The British Postal
Museum & Archive (Postal Heritage Trust)
Freeling House, Phoenix Place, Mount Pleasant, London, WC1X 0DL
(020 7239 2570)
The public archives of the Post Office (Royal Mail Group), including its use of
transport, from the 17th century onwards. Its catalogue is
included in that of the Public Record Office (class POST).
Catalogue. Planning proceeds on
the development of a new postal museum & archive in Woolwich or elsewhere in
London for 2009.
British Transport Police History Archive
For resources for the history of the police forces which protected the railways,
canals and docks, go the
British Transport Police website and follow the BTP History link.
British Trolleybuses
An online database and archive.
Brunel
University Library Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH (01895 274000
x2784)
Transport History Collection at Runnymede Campus, Englefield
Green, Egham, Surrey TW20 0JZ (01784 431341)
The collection comprises: Clinker collection of railway books and
papers; Garnett collection of railway maps; J. E. C. Palmer notes
on Victorian railway periodicals and Eastern Counties Railway;
Borley papers on London railways; L. James railway chronology.
Timetables. Mowat, Clinker, Wookey and Locomotive photographs (marketed
by W.R. Burton, 3 Fairway, Clifton, York, YO30 5QA ). Some of the
uncatalogued material is in store on the Uxbridge campus. Prior
arrangements for access should be made for all material; proof of identity will
be required.
References
The Brunel University photographic collection. Backtrack vol. 20 (2006)
pp. 355-7.
The Clinker railway collection at Brunel University: catalogue of printed books.
1989.
Railway maps and the Railway Clearing House: the David Garnett collection in
Brunel University Library. 1986.
Cambridge
University Library West Road, Cambridge, CB2 9DR (01223
333000)
Major collection of material received on legal deposit, including
periodicals, maps and Parliamentary publications.
Canal Museum Stoke Bruerne, Towcester,
Northamptonshire, NN12 7SE (01604 862229)
Houses some archival material primarily relating to narrow
canals.
Chesterfield Central
Library New Beetwell Street, Chesterfield, Derbyshire,
S40 1QN (01246 209292)
Includes Stephenson Collection of books, pamphlets and other
material relating to life and work of George Stephenson.
Thomas Cook Archives P.O. Box 36,
Thorpe Wood, Peterborough, PE3 6SB (01733 502025)
Company archives of the Thomas Cook Group and its role in
international travel since 1841. Includes business records,
travel literature, diaries, photographs and ephemera and
international railway timetables. Access by
prior appointment.
Coventry Transport Museum St
Agnes Lane, Hales Street, Coventry, CV1 1PN (024 7683 2425)
Museum of British road transport; includes substantial collections of technical literature and
photographs. New archive & library (available by appointment) due to open early
2007.
Cumbrian Railways Association
Holds an extensive photographic collection and some archival material relating
to the Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness areas.
Darlington Branch Library Crown
Street, Darlington, Co. Durham, DL1 1ND (01325 462034)
Stockton & Darlington Railway collection.
Darlington
Railway Centre & Museum North Road Station, Darlington,
Co. Durham, DL3 6ST (01325 460532)
The Ken Hoole Study Centre houses the reference collection
(papers, books and photographs mainly relating to railways in the
North East) left by railway historian Ken Hoole. The Study Centre
also contains the library collection of the North Eastern Railway
Association, records of the North Eastern Railway Servants'
Pension Society, pictorial records of the Cleveland Bridge &
Engineering Co., and other archive material. Darlington Railway Centre &
Museum and the Ken Hoole Study Centre are closed for about a year leading up to
Easter 2008 when they will reopen after a major refurbishment and upgrade. Access by public
transport: Darlington North Road station (National Rail) adjacent.
Glasgow
University Archives 13 Thurso Street, Glasgow G11 6PE (0141
330 5515)
A repository for the business records of Scottish companies,
including portions of the North British Locomotive Co., Andrew
Barclay (locomotive builders), R. Y. Pickering (rolling stock
builders), William Beardmore (engineers encompassing most forms
of transport), motor companies, shipping and shipbuilding. Also
the Scottish Railway Collection, A.G. Dunbar collection (railway
trade unions), Caledonian Railway Association archives, Jackson
collection (overseas railway photographs), Adam Smith railway
plans, John Hume collection, transport ephemera and runs of key
periodicals.
Great Western Trust
Great Western Society, Didcot Railway Centre, Didcot,
Oxfordshire, OX11 7NJ (01235 817200)
Collection of publications, and archive material related to Great
Western Railway, including 'RKB' collection of printed ephemera,
Eric Mountford collection (especially related to south Wales) and
C.R. Gordon Stuart ticket collection. Extensive collections of
photographs and transparencies (not all Great Western). Access by
prior appointment. Access by public
transport: Didcot Parkway station (National Rail) adjacent.
Guildhall Library
Aldermanbury, London, EC2P 2EJ (020 7332 1852)
Books, pamphlets and maps relating to the history of London in
general, including its transport; convenient collections of
Parliamentary publications and directories; Stock Exchange
records containing a substantial collection of company
prospectuses; Lloyds' s marine collection, including list of
qualified Merchant Navy masters. Fire insurance company records.
Images commercially available from Heritage
Image Partnership. The Corporation of London Records Office
is separately housed (in the North Office Block at Guildhall);
its collections include earlier records of the Thames
Conservancy. Access by public transport: St Paul's station (London
Underground) nearby.
Reference
ARMSTRONG, JOHN and JONES, STEPHANIE. Business documents: their
origins, sources and uses in historical research. London:
Mansell, 1987.
BARRISKILL, DECLAN. The
Lloyd's Marine Collection. South West Soundings no. 69 (June 2007) pp.
24-7.
Lloyd's Marine Collection. Sea Breezes vol. 53 (1979) p.
328.
Historical
Model Railway Society Museum & Study Centre, Midland
Railway - Butterley, Butterley Station, Ripley, Derbys., DE5 3QZ (01773
745959)
The Society maintains a purpose-built library, archives and collections of
drawings and photographs. Access by
prior appointment. Access by public
transport: bus from Derby. Located at Swanwick Junction.
References
HISTORICAL MODEL RAILWAY SOCIETY. Guide to the HMRS Study Centre. Ripley,
2005.
House of Lords Record Office
House of Lords, London, SW1A 0PW (020 7219 3074)
Contains records of Parliamentary proceedings on the Private
Bills which were the normal means by which canals, turnpike
trusts, railways, harbour authorities and similar undertakings
sought to be incorporated and given powers to construct and
operate their works.
Portcullis provides an on-line index to the Parliamentary Archives. Access by public
transport: Westminster station (London Underground) nearby.
References
BOND, MAURICE. Materials for transport history amongst the
records of Parliament. Journal of Transport History vol. 4
(1959) pp. 37-52.
BOND, MAURICE F. Guide to the records of Parliament. London:
H.M.S.O., 1971.
HOUSE OF LORDS RECORD OFFICE. Witnesses before Parliament: a
guide to the database of witnesses in Committees on opposed
Private Bills 1771-1917. London, 1997.
Hovercraft
Museum Trust Argus Gate, Chark Lane (off Broom Way),
Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, PO13 9NY (023 9255 2090)
Administers an extensive library of books, moving images and
other resources on the history and operation of hovercraft.
Imperial College Library Imperial College Road, South
Kensington, London, SW7 5NH (020 7938 8234)
A collection strong in the field of technology. Holds early civil engineering
reports, and early photographs of the Forth Bridge. Currently also provides
access to the Science Museum Library.
Institution of Civil Engineers Great
George Street, London, SW1P 3AA (020 7222 7722)
Professional institution library, developed from collections
given by the canal and road engineer Thomas Telford. Books, pamphlets, reports, plans and
periodicals in its specialist field from 17th century onwards.
Archives of papers relating to William Jessop (canal engineer),
the Rennie family (canal and bridge engineers), Telford, Marc Isambard Brunel (engineer of
Thames Tunnel), William Mackenzie (railway contractor), and the
Britannia Bridge; letters and reports of John Smeaton (waterway
engineer); copies of diaries of James Brindley (canal engineer).
Institution of
Mechanical Engineers Information & Library Service, 1 Birdcage Walk, London,
SW1H 9JJ (020 7973 1274)
The Institution retains the archives and published proceedings of itself and its
merged bodies including the Institutions of Locomotive and Automobile Engineers
and the Association of Railway Locomotive Engineers. It collects the papers and
drawings of Members, who include famous names in locomotive and automotive
engineering such as George and Robert Stephenson, David Joy, Tom Hurry Riches
(south Wales railways) and Frederick W. Lanchester. Company records include
those of Livesey
Henderson & Co. (railway contractors) and engineering companies D. Napier & Son,
Jones & Potts, Joseph Whitworth & Co. and Nasmyth Gaskell & Co. Photographic
collections relate to railways in Britain and overseas. The library contains
useful runs of the key journals in its field.
Ipswich
Transport Museum Old Trolleybus Depot, Cobham Road, Ipswich, IP3 9JD (01473
715666)
Specialises in transport associated with the surrounding area of Suffolk and
includes a library, archives, plans, photographic and ticket collections.
Irish
Railway Record Society Heuston Station, Dublin 8, Republic of
Ireland
A long-established and professionally organised collection. The
library contains books, periodicals, timetables, legal and
statistical material and accident reports. The archives include
maps, plans, photographs and personal collections, notably that of H. Fayle, and the Society has custody of
non-current records of Córas Iompair Éireann and its
constituents.
Reference
IRISH RAILWAY RECORD SOCIETY. The Irish Railway Record Society
1946-1996: a commemorative booklet. Dublin, 1996.
Ironbridge Library Long
Warehouse, Ironbridge Institute, Ironbridge Gorge Museum,
Ironbridge, Telford, Shropshire, TF8 7AW (01952 452751)
Collection relating to industrial archaeology, including trade
literature and local surveys. Photographic collection. Museum
also has custody of Elton Collection (pictorial material) and
Telford Collection. The Transport Trust library is housed at Ironbridge.
University
of Kent Templeman Library, University of Kent at Canterbury,
Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NU (01227 764000)
Established a particularly strong collection in railway and other
transport studies.
Kidderminster Railway Museum Station
Approach, Comberton Hill, Kidderminster, Worcs., DY10 1QX (01562
825316)
Collection of material especially relating to Great Western
Railway and signalling. Photographic archive, including
collections of B. Moone, W. Potter and V.R. Webster. Access by
prior appointment. Access by public
transport: Kidderminster stations (National Rail/Severn Valley Railway)
adjacent.
Kithead Trust (Townsend-Beaman Archive)
Salis Drive, Hampton Lovett, Droitwich Spa, Worcs., WR9 0QE
(01905 776681)
A charitable trust originally set up to care for official records
of the National Bus Company's constituents. Also now contains the
former Department of Transport historical reference library and
records of: the Association of Public Passenger Transport
Operators (previously the Municipal Passenger Transport
Association); the Birmingham Transport Historical Group (relating
to West Midland Passenger Transport Executive and its predecessor
municipal public transport operators); and the Signalling Record Society.
Also includes material from private collections, notably runs of
periodicals relating to public transport.
University
of Lancaster University Library, Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4YH
(01524 592515)
The R.C. Ford Railway Collection comprises books, pamphlets and
photographs mainly relating to the Midland Railway and its
successors.
University
of Leicester University Library, P.O. Box 248, University
Road, Leicester, LE1 9QD (0116 252 2031)
Transport History Collection established since 1953 as major
resource for academic study of the subject; particularly strong
in railway books. Includes Woollatt gift (Great Western Railway
material). The University is also the home of a digitised
Historical
Directories project.
London and North
Western Railway Association
Noted in particular for its staff history resources.
London Metropolitan Archives 40 Northampton
Road, London, EC1R 0HB (020 7332 3820)
Contains administrative records of London Transport and its
predecessors; some waterway records; also extensive collections
of books, directories, maps and photographs relating to the
Greater London area. Access by public transport: Farringdon station (London
Underground/National Rail) nearby.
London
Transport Museum The Piazza, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 7BB
(020 7379 6344)
Museum closed for refurbishment until Autumn 2007.
Library contains the major collection of printed books and
periodicals relating to London Transport and its constituents.
Photographic, film, art and oral history collections. Reinohl
collection of bus and tram tickets and related material. Special
collection of Frank Pick material. Engineering drawings outhoused
at the Museum Depot, Acton Town, where is also located the Omnibus Society's
London collection.
University
of London Library Senate House, Malet Street, London, WC1E
7HU (020 7636 8000 x5081)
A major research library, including collection of Parliamentary
publications. Incorporates Goldsmith's Library of Economic
Literature, including earlier printed books relating to railways
and other forms of transport and Raistrick Collection of books
and MSS mostly relating to inland navigation and early railways.
Greater Manchester Record
Office 56 Marshall Street, New Cross, Manchester, M4 5FU (0161 832 5284)
A county record office containing many items of interest relating to local
transport, but noted here particularly because of its agreement with the
Lancashire & Yorkshire
Railway Society for the lodging of the Society's research materials on the
L.&Y. Railway.
Manchester Central Library
St Peter's Square, Manchester, M2 5PD (0161 234 1900)
A major public reference library, with good holdings of Parliamentary
publications and relevant periodicals. Local Studies Section includes printed
and pictorial material. Publisher's file run of Bradshaw's timetable. Access
by public transport: St Peter's Square stop (Metrolink) nearby.
John
Rylands University Library of Manchester 150 Deansgate,
Manchester, M3 3EH (0161 834 5343)
Incorporates Kenneth Brown railway collection (early
books, pamphlets, timetables, Acts of Parliament, engineering
reports, maps and periodicals). Also includes material relating
to Edmondson tickets, Graham Moss collection (early pamphlets)
and George Miller and Eric Dyckhoff collections of transport
ephemera. Robbins railway book collection. Tanks Group archive includes material on Benguela
Railway.
References
TUCK, JOHN P. Railways. Bulletin of the John Rylands
University Library of Manchester vol. 71 (1989) pp. 168-71.
JOHN RYLANDS UNIVERSITY LIBRARY OF MANCHESTER. Edmondson
collection handlist.
Midland Railway Study Centre, Silk Mill, Full Street, Derby.
Enquiries
to: P.O. Box 7123, Derby, DE65 9AP (01283 702689)
The combined collections of the Roy F. Burrows Midland Collection Trust, Derby's
Museum of Industry & History and the Midland Railway Society giving the largest
publicly accessible collection of paper material relating to the Midland Railway
and its staff. Limited
opening hours by appointment.
Midland Railway Trust Midland Railway - Butterley, Butterley Station, Ripley, Derbys., DE5 3QZ (01773 747674)
This museum collection is supplemented by holdings of archives
and photographs mainly relating to the Midland Railway, its
successors and neighbours. The Historical
Model Railway Society is also located on this
site. Access by public
transport: bus from Derby.
Modern Records Centre University Library,
University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL
An archive specialising in trade union, trade association and
business records (especially strong in those related to road
transport). Includes records of National Union of Railwaymen;
records of Atkinson Vehicles Ltd; papers of C. S. Dunbar and G. W.
Quick-Smith (relating to road transport organisation); Traffic
Commissioners' Applications and Decisions (relating to
goods vehicle licensing).
Museum of Army Transport Beverley
Now permanently closed.
Museum
of English Rural Life University of
Reading, Redlands Road, Reading, RG1 5EX (0118
378 8660)
The Museum's archives and photographic collections include those of the
following builders of steam vehicles: Clayton & Shuttleworth;
John Fowler & Co (Leeds) Ltd; Marshall, Sons & Co Ltd; Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies Ltd; Wallis & Steevens Ltd;
also the National Traction Owners' & Users' Association.
The National Archives Ruskin Avenue, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU
(020 8876 3444)
This repository, formerly known as the Public Record Office, contains the
principal records of the railway, canal and associated companies
which came to be nationalised in 1948 (class RAIL) and of the
British Transport Commission, Railway Executive and British
Railways Board (class AN). Class AN also contains the records of
the Road Haulage Executive, Road Passenger Executive and Docks
& Inland Waterways Executive; also British Road Services (to
1968) and some records of the Transport Holding Company. The
central records of the National Bus Company, 1968-91, are held at
class FH. The railway records include administrative
and staff records and timetables; and there are
canal administrative records (records relating to some
navigations are held in other collections in the PRO). Maps,
plans and photographs are found in these collections and
elsewhere. The former British Transport Historical Records
Library contains printed books and pamphlets (class ZLIB) and
periodicals (class ZPER) covering the period 1694-1982, much of
it issued by operators themselves; and the private collection of
W. E. Hayward relates mainly to minor railways. Records of the
Ministry of Transport and its predecessor, the Board of Trade
(class MT) relate to its various supervisory functions over
transport operations. The records of the Registrar
General of Shipping and Seamen relate to merchant shipping.
Some War Office records relate to military transport. The PRO
Library (open access) includes Acts of Parliament, a
strong collection of books and periodicals on local history, and
some railway periodicals. The National Archives also maintains the
National Register of Archives (listing documents in other collections) which can be searched
online. Access by public
transport: Kew Gardens station (National Rail/London Underground) nearby.
Accommodation
available in the area.
References
EDWARDS, CLIFF. Railway records: a guide to sources. Public
Record Office, 2001. [Public Record Office readers' guide]
HAWKINGS, DAVID T. Railway ancestors: a guide to the staff
records of the railway companies of England and Wales, 1822-1947.
Stroud: Alan Sutton / Public Record Office, 1995.
JOHNSON, L. C. Historical records of the British Transport
Commission. Journal of Transport History vol. 1 (1953-4)
pp. 82-96; 5 (1961-2) pp. 159-65.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE. Channel Tunnel (Source sheet no. 12)
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE. Railway police (Source sheet no. 13)
RICHARDS, TOM. Was your grandfather a railwayman? 4th edn. Bristol: author /
Bury: Federation of Family History Societies, 2002.
WARDLE, D. B. Sources for the history of railways at the Public
Record Office. Journal of Transport History vol. 2
(1955-6) pp. 214-34.
BANCROFT, PETER (comp). London Transport records at the Public
Record Office. Alton: Nebulous Books, 1996.
National Archives of Ireland Bishop Street,
Dublin 8, Republic of Ireland (00 353 1 407 2300)
The archives here most likely to be of interest to transport
historians are those of the Office of Public Works which from its
establishment in 1831 took various responsibilities for inland
waterways, roads, harbours, and supervision of railways. The
National Archives also care for shipping agreements and crew
lists.
National Archives of Scotland HM
General Register House, 2 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3YY (0131 535 1314)
Scottish Railway Archive at West Register House, Charlotte Square,
Edinburgh, EH2 4DJ
You are strongly advised to telephone beforehand to check the location of the
records you are interested in. For more details of the collections, choose 'The
Collections' from the NAS home page, then select Transport Records.
The Scottish Railway Archive contains official records of Scottish railway companies and their canal
and shipping constituents, including minutes and reports,
letter books, deeds and agreements, circulars, locomotive, rolling stock and
civil engineers records, station traffic books, accident reports, and staff
records. The NAS also holds an important collection of specialised books and
periodicals on transport subjects, mostly inherited from the old railway
companies and dating back to the 1840s, as well as timetables, publicity
material, engineering and architectural drawings and photographs.
Relevant private deposits, generally of locomotive or engineering interest,
include those of W. E. Boyd, Alan G. Dunbar, Montague Smith, D. S. Macdonald,
David L. Smith (the latter two particularly concerning the Glasgow & South
Western Railway), Sir Thomas Bouch, and George Graham (Caledonian Railway).
The NAS also holds records
of the Commissioners for Highland Roads and Bridges and for the
Caledonian and Crinan Canals; and contains the National
Register of Archives for Scotland.
Reference
SIMMONS, JACK. The Scottish records of the British Transport
Commission. Journal of Transport History vol. 3 (1957-8)
pp. 158-67.
SINCLAIR, CECIL. Tracing Scottish local history : a guide to local history
research in the Scottish Record Office. Edinburgh: H.M.S.O., 1994.
Chapter 12.
National
Library of Ireland Kildare Street, Dublin 2, Republic of
Ireland (00 353 1 661 8811)
The national collection. Photographic collections include James
P. O'Dea collection (Irish railways 1937-66) and Boyne Viaduct
album (1931-2). The Lawrence collection (much Irish transport
interest) is in the National Photographic Archive, Meeting House
Square.
National
Library of Scotland George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EW
(0131 226 4531)
The national collection of British material received on legal
deposit, including maps and periodicals. Holdings also include
some papers of the Rennie family of bridge and canal engineers
and the Townley collection of locomotive photographs.
National
Library of Wales Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3BU (01970
623816)
The national collection of material relating to Wales (and
beyond) including books, periodicals and maps. Owing to the
relatively late establishment of county record offices in Wales,
the archives collection is especially important for the whole of
the Principality. The most significant railway collection
comprises the papers and plans of Henry Robinson (railway
engineer). Other named collections in the Department of Pictures
and Maps with railway content include: Scott-Archer (mid-Wales
and Marches), Longueville and Wynnstay (both mid-
and north Wales), Bute (Cardiff), Mayberry (south Wales), Jenkins Resolven and Harpton Court. Photographic collections include the
work of J. Thomas.
National
Maritime Museum Greenwich, London, SE10 9NF (020 8312 6607)
The Centre for Maritime Research incorporates the Caird Library
covering all aspects of maritime history; collections of historic
photographs, prints and drawings, and ship plans (including
railway ships); and archive collections including that of C.
Grasemann (Southern Railway and other short sea shipping),
records of South Western Steam Packet Co., Coast Lines Ltd, and
(in part) Port of London Authority, and 10% sample of crew
agreements. Access by public transport: Cutty Sark (Docklands Light
Railway) or Maze Hill (National Rail) stations nearby.
National
Monuments Record Centre Kemble Drive, Swindon, SN2 2GZ (01703
414600)
Headquarters of the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments
of England (in the former Great Western Railway works general
office building); holds extensive pictorial records of England's
built heritage, including Rokeby collection of railway station
photographs and Aerofilms and other aerial photographic cover. Search room also in London.
Images commercially available from Heritage
Image Partnership. Access by public
transport: Swindon station (National Rail) nearby.
National
Motor Museum Beaulieu, Brockenhurst, Hants., SO42 7ZN (01590
612345)
The Reference Library contains a major collections of published
books, manufacturers' literature and periodicals (comprehensively
indexed) on motor transport. There are also major Photographic
and Audio-Visual Libraries. Images commercially available from
Heritage
Image Partnership.
National
Museums & Galleries of Wales Department of Industry, The
Collections Centre, Heol Crochendy, Parc Nantgarw, CF15 7QT (029
2057 3560)
Reference library and written and photographic archives relating
to the industrial and transport history of Wales. Materials collection strong in
tramroad material. Access by
prior appointment.
National
Railway Museum Leeman Road, York, YO2 4XJ (01904 621261)
The NRM has embarked on its £3.5 million Search
Engine plan to improve access to its
library, archive and image collections. To enable building work to take place
the Research Centre is closed to the public from 27 January 2006 until
further notice. The library contains an important collection of books on railway
development in Britain and elsewhere, together with runs of
technical and specialist periodicals, timetables, statistics and
accident reports. Its
Catalogue is available online. The photographic collection is made up of more
than 1.4 million images from over 180 collections originating
with railway companies, the railway supply industry and amateurs.
The archive collection consists largely of technical material
concerning the development of locomotives and rolling stock and
includes specifications, reports, correspondence and engineering
drawings from railways and the railway supply industry. Home of
the National Archive of Railway Oral History. The pictorial
collections contain paintings, prints, engravings and posters.
Images commercially available from
Science & Society
Picture Library. Access by public
transport: York station (National Rail) with footbridge access.
Reference.
ATKINS, C. P. The National Railway Museum Library and its
collections. Journal of the Railway & Canal Historical
Society vol. 28 (1986) pp. 322-8.
National
Tramway Museum Tramway Village, Crich, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5DP (01773
852565)
The John Price Memorial Library is a professionally organised
collection (catalogues available online) devoted to public
passenger transport history, street tramways in particular. Runs
of relevant contemporary periodicals. Photographic collection. Access by
public transport: National Rail stations at Whatstandwell (steep uphill walk) or
Matlock (bus connections).
References
THACKER, ROSEMARY. The National Tramway Museum and its archives. The
Historian no. 53 (1997) pp. 16-18.
YEARSLEY, IAN. Library: a widely-used resource. Journal of the Tramway Museum
Society vol. 34 (1995) pp. 98-9, 102.
THACKER, ROSEMARY. The Library. Journal of the Tramway Museum Society
vol. 30 (1991) pp. 62-3.
BOND, WINSTAN. The Assembly Rooms Library. Journal of the Tramway Museum
Society vol. 19 (1980) pp. 89-91.
National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port
Dockyard Road, Ellesmere Port,
South Wirral, Merseyside, L65 4EF (0151 355 5017)
Archive contains significant collection of books and periodicals
relating to inland waterways worldwide (including I.W.A. John
Heap Library and collections of Daphne Rosewell, Fred Doerflinger
and Denys Hutchings). Charles Hadfield' s world canals research
papers. Archive collections include Shropshire Union Railways
& Canal Co. minutes. Photographic collections (including
those of Eric de Maré, Hugh McKnight and Michael Ware). Oral
history recordings. The David Owen Waterways Archive forms part
of The Waterways Archive.
National Waterways Museum at Gloucester Llanthony
Warehouse, Gloucester Docks,
Gloucester, GL1 2EH (01452 318041)
Library. British Waterways Archive (strong in plans, drawings and
technical records), forming part of The Waterways Archive.
Photographic collection.
Omnibus Society
John F. Parke Memorial
Library & Archive
100-102 Sandwell Street, Walsall, WS5 3PR
Contains a large collection of books, fleet lists, periodicals,
maps and the National Collection of Timetables relating to buses
and bus services, including runs of Traffic Commissioners' Notices
and Proceedings. Photographs, c.1930-60, by John F. Parke and
others. The London collection is located at the London Transport Museum's Acton
centre.
Public
Record Office of Northern Ireland 66 Balmoral Avenue,
Belfast, BT9 6NY (028 90 251318)
Includes records of the Ulster Transport Authority and
constituents (including Belfast Corporation Transport and the
Northern Ireland Road Transport Board) 1820-1976, together with
other items relating to railway companies received as private
deposits, and of the Ministries of Commerce and Home Affairs
(later, Development), having responsibility for transport. The Cooper collection
also contains some relevant material.
Railway Club Library Room 208, 25
Marylebone Road, London, NW1 5JS (020 8536 0864)
The oldest established enthusiast organisation's collection of
books, periodicals, timetables and unpublished papers.
Railway Correspondence & Travel Society
Uxbridge.
Enquiries
to: Mr T. M. B. Silcock, 17 Raisins Hill, Pinner, Middlesex, HA5
2BU (020 8866 3432)
An enthusiast organisation's collection of books, periodicals and
unpublished papers. Has a strong collection of railway
preservation society magazines. Limited
access by appointment.
Railway Studies
Library Newton
Abbot Library, Bank Street, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 2RP (01626
206422)
Significant collection of books on national railway history. Good
range of specialist periodicals, timetables. Fast-growing
collection of copies of railway articles from general
periodicals, 19th century to the present. Limited opening hours. Holdings included in Devon
Library & Information Services
catalogue.
Supported by the
Friends of the Railway Studies Collection.
Royal Engineers Corps Library
Royal Engineers Museum of Military Engineering, Prince Arthur
Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME4 4UG (01634 822416)
An extensive archive begun in 1813. The collection includes
books, manuals, manuscripts, maps, plans and photographs. Limited
opening hours by appointment.
Science Museum
Library Imperial College Road, South
Kensington, London, SW7 5NH (020 7938 8234)
A significant partly open-access collection (currently sharing common access and services
with Imperial College Library) of
books, pamphlets, periodicals and archive materials relevant to
technological history. Science Museum Library and Archive special
collections include those of G.P. Bidder (railway engineering),
Rhys Jenkins (early locomotives and steam road vehicles), T. S.
Lascelles (railway signalling), C. E. Lee (transport history),
H. A. Whitcombe (steam and other street tramways), P.C. Dewhurst
(photographs of Midland Railway and South American railways),
Robert Stephenson & Co (early locomotive construction), North
British Locomotive Co. (Stephenson documents), railway civil
engineers A. Gibb, G. Neumann and S. Pearson & Son, and the
Crown Agents (on loan to Railworld, Peterborough); also
the Tolhausen index to early periodicals. Science Museum images
commercially available from
Science & Society
Picture Library. Access by public
transport: South
Kensington station (London Underground) with subway connection. Relocating
in 2006/7 to Swindon.
References
DAY, LANCE. Resources for the study of the history of technology in the Science
Museum Library. IATUL Quarterly vol. 3 (1989) pp. 122-39.
The Science Museum Archive collection. Newcomen Bulletin
no. 178 (Dec. 2000) pp. 11-13.
PAAR, H. W. A key to the use of old periodicals: the Tolhausen
index. Journal of the Railway & Canal Historical Society
vol. 14 (1968) pp. 52-3.
Steam:
Museum of the Great Western Railway Kemble Drive, Swindon,
SN2 2TA (01793 466646)
Library of books and journals and archival material related to
the G.W.R. and its Swindon works; reading room available. Access by public
transport: Swindon station (National Rail) nearby.
Stephenson Locomotive
Society Hersham.
An enthusiast organisation's collection of books, periodicals and locomotive
lists, drawings and photographs. Access to members.
Transport
for
London Group Archives and Records Management, Ground Floor,
Wing-over-Station, 55 Broadway, London, SW1H 0BD (020 7918 4142)
TfL is still sorting out its large holdings and aims to provide phased
online access to its archives catalogue. It is able to
assist researchers until this is complete by providing lists of relevant material from its
holdings and arranging limited access to them. Access by public
transport: St James's Park station (London Underground) adjacent.
Transport
Ticket Society
Postal library restricted to members only, but its catalogue and a number of
other useful resources are available via the Society's website.
Trinity
College Library College Street, Dublin 2, Republic of Ireland
(00 353 1 608 1661)
An important collection retaining the privilege of legal deposit
of material published in the UK. Includes early pamphlet
literature.
Ulster Folk
and Transport Museum Cultra, Holywood, Co. Down, BT18 0EU
(028 9042 8428)
The museum's collections and archives are rich in material
relating to transport in Ireland, supplemented by the deposit in
its library of the McNeill-Green collection which concentrates on
books and timetables relating to Irish shipping and railways, and
British bus timetables.
The Waterways Archive
Under the auspices of The
Waterways Trust, this is a distributed collection held in the
British Waterways Archive at the National
Waterways Museum, Gloucester; the David Owen Waterways
Archive at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere
Port; and at thirteen local record offices. A combined
online index to the holdings of the National Waterways Museums and Canal Museum
is in course of development under
the British Waterways Virtual Archive Project.
The West Country Historic Omnibus & Transport
Trust Enquiries to: 13 Dokkum Road,
Crediton, Devon, EX17 3DJ
Assembling photographic and archive collections relating to road
transport in south west England; museum and archive in development.
West Sussex Record Office Orchard Street,
Chichester (correspondence to: County Hall, Chichester, PO19
1RN) (01243 753600)
Contains the customary sources on local railways, waterways and
roads to be expected of a county record office; noted here for
holding the Ronald Shephard Railway Collection of books,
periodicals and photographs.
Reference
WEST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL. Local history, mini-guide to sources,
no. 4: Railways in West Sussex. 1996.
Widnes Library (Halton
Libraries) Victoria Square, Widnes, WA8 7QY (0151 423 4818)
Holds a large railway collection.
The Working
Class Movement Library 51 The Crescent, Salford, M5 4WX (0161
736 3601)
A collection of printed books and archival material strong in
matters related to trade unionism.