Skip to content

Planes, trains and automobiles pulled from archives

Catherine LeeNorth East and Cumbria
News imageColin Davison/North East Museums A child's pedal car dating from the 1950s. It is blue, with a white steering wheel and front bumper, and is in the typical boxy shape of the time.Colin Davison/North East Museums
Back to the past - a toy pedal car dating from the 1950s is on display

From surfboards to steam trains, museum curators have delved into the archives for the first show in a special exhibitions gallery.

Things that Go! features transport-themed objects never before seen by the public from the Discovery Museum's collections in Newcastle.

These include models of the Shields Ferry and South Shields trolleybus, 1950s toy cars, steam locomotives and a Victorian fire engine model.

Created with younger families in mind, organisers hope it will inspire "the next generation of museum-goers, thinkers and tinkerers".

Other highlights include an Armstrong-Whitworth biplane and an ornate Royal Mail carriage model, and a surfboard belonging to North Tyneside's British and international surfing champion Gabe Davies.

The free exhibition is sponsored by Stagecoach, Tyne and Wear Metro, and Lumo Travel, and an electric model of a Lumo train will run continuously around the display.

News imageDiscovery Museum Two display cabinets, part of a museum exhibition. The one on the left has a red label stating "To the Rescue" and the two shelves below containing models including a Victorian fire engine and an extendable ladder on wheels. The one on the right has a yellow label stating "On the Building Site" and its models include a lorry with lifting gear and a crane on caterpillar tracks.Discovery Museum
Objects are grouped into sections including By the Sea, To the Rescue, On the Building Site and On the Farm

Director of North East Museums Keith Merrin said: "The new Special Exhibitions Gallery has transformed a tired space into a bright, contemporary gallery, enabling Discovery Museum to share more of its collections that would otherwise be hidden from view in our stores for visitors to enjoy.

"Things That Go! is a fun way to bring out items from the collection that relate to the theme of transport.

"While it has been created with younger families in mind, there are some fascinating and evocative objects on display for all generations to explore."

Follow BBC Newcastle on X,Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram and listen to Radio Newcastle on BBC Sounds.

More on this story
Related internet links