The National Railway Museum Podcast
Welcome to the National Railway Museum Podcast, recorded at our museum in York.
When it comes to railways, some stories run so deep they encompass multiple centuries. In this podcast we take our time to dive deeper—with help from experts along the way.
Join our curator and host Oli Betts as we explore a multitude of topics including the first railways the world ever saw (before Stephenson's Rocket came on the scene in 1829), the royal family's relationship with railways, railways in Japan and plenty more further down the line.
Our podcast is filmed in Countess of York, the home of delicious afternoon tea at our museum. For more information about Countess and our museum, head to: https://www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/
Episodes
Jul 5, 2026
Jul 5, 2026
55 min
Enter the railways! This episode sees Oli meet up with Rob Scargill, curator of the futures gallery to see what we have to learn from Japanese railways, from railway safety, to highspeed vehicles, from hello Kitty to womens only carriage we look at how the japanese have integrated the railways into their culture and what that might mean for the future of railways globally.
Our podcast is filmed in Countess of York, the home of delicious afternoon tea at our museum.
For more information about Countess and our museum, head to: https://www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/
Jun 7, 2026
Jun 7, 2026
43 min
On this episode of the National Railway Museum Podcast, Oli lends his expertise from his brief stint in CSI: York and talks with Paul Bickley, curator of the Crime Museum at New Scotland Yard.
Our podcast is filmed in Countess of York, the home of delicious afternoon tea at our museum.
To find out more about the Metropolitan Police's museums and archives, head to: https://www.met.police.uk/police-forces/metropolitan-police/areas/about-us/about-the-met/met-museums-archives/
For more information about Countess and our museum, head to: https://www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/
Jun 5, 2026
Jun 5, 2026
1hr 50 sec
This week Oli is joined by an expert on the history of the Royal Family who just so happens to be his wife. Together Oli and Sarah discuss how and why the royal family have used the railways for the past 150 years.
Our podcast is filmed in Countess of York, the home of delicious afternoon tea at our museum. For more information about Countess and our museum, head to: https://www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/
Jun 5, 2026
Jun 5, 2026
1hr 13 min
Welcome to the National Railway Museum podcast! Railway 200 caused a lot of debate around what we mean when we say railway—so in our first episode Oli Betts and Anthony Coulls take a long look at what happened in the UK before 1825 and explore what the word railway actually means!
Our podcast is filmed in Countess of York, the home of delicious afternoon tea at our museum. For more information about Countess and our museum, head to: https://www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/