Alison Kay is the archivist at the National Railway Museum in York. A new exhibition space at the museum tells the story of first world war ambulance trains and features a specially created carriage with a ward, pharmacy and nurses’ mess room.
Why haven’t we heard more about first world war ambulance trains?
During the three years of research, it became apparent that the subject had never been looked at in any detail. There were a couple of technical histories about how the trains worked but nothing published about on-board conditions. We received a lot of information from the Friends Ambulance Unit, conscientious objectors who staffed the trains and nurses’ diaries. It was dangerous work – we know they got close to battle lines and were often shelled, forcing patients and orderlies to hide underneath trains. In this country, they were sometimes targeted by Zeppelins. The museum is offered items by the public every week. We don’t take them all but are trying to supplement our archive with more human stories about the railways.
Are trainspotters a source of information for the museum?
Trainspotters visit every day to learn about where locomotives travelled by scrutinising old timetables or to look for details to make their model railways more accurate. I suppose I’m a trainspotter in many ways. We’re documenting franchises at the moment, looking through leaflets and paperwork that record old operators. It’s quite geeky. But I don’t stand on wet platforms jotting numbers down.
What’s new in the world of archiving?
Increasing numbers of people are giving us digital records on USB sticks. That’s a challenge because we’re having to write policies about what to do when such records come in. When you open digital information on a computer, you alter the record and the metadata, so we need to look at having a block that makes them look untouched.
The Orient Express, Settle to Carlisle, the California Zephyr ... what’s your favourite train journey?
The journey between York and Hull. It’s not a glamorous train but it’s lovely when it sweeps down by the Humber.
Why haven’t we heard more about first world war ambulance trains?
During the three years of research, it became apparent that the subject had never been looked at in any detail. There were a couple of technical histories about how the trains worked but nothing published about on-board conditions. We received a lot of information from the Friends Ambulance Unit, conscientious objectors who staffed the trains and nurses’ diaries. It was dangerous work – we know they got close to battle lines and were often shelled, forcing patients and orderlies to hide underneath trains. In this country, they were sometimes targeted by Zeppelins. The museum is offered items by the public every week. We don’t take them all but are trying to supplement our archive with more human stories about the railways.
Are trainspotters a source of information for the museum?
Trainspotters visit every day to learn about where locomotives travelled by scrutinising old timetables or to look for details to make their model railways more accurate. I suppose I’m a trainspotter in many ways. We’re documenting franchises at the moment, looking through leaflets and paperwork that record old operators. It’s quite geeky. But I don’t stand on wet platforms jotting numbers down.
What’s new in the world of archiving?
Increasing numbers of people are giving us digital records on USB sticks. That’s a challenge because we’re having to write policies about what to do when such records come in. When you open digital information on a computer, you alter the record and the metadata, so we need to look at having a block that makes them look untouched.
The Orient Express, Settle to Carlisle, the California Zephyr ... what’s your favourite train journey?
The journey between York and Hull. It’s not a glamorous train but it’s lovely when it sweeps down by the Humber.
