Railway exhibit explores 200 years of history

An exhibition exploring 200 years of the history and development of Hull's railway has opened.

Located at Hull History Centre until 11 December Tracks Through Time: The Story of Hull's Railways includes the opening of the first line in 1840 up to the privatisation of the industry in the 1990s.

Original archive material will also be on display in the centre's library until 30 October with rare surviving objects from the Hull and Barnsley Railway

Councillor Rob Pritchard, portfolio holder for culture and leisure, said the railways "transformed the port of Hull" and the exhibit "promised to be fantastic".

On 7 October at 12:30 BST, a free talk will also be held by Martin Barker of the Hull and Barnsley Stock Fund.

Pritchard said Hull's historical industries like fishing benefitted from rail links from the port: "The fishing industry developed because railways were there to transport the catches to market quickly and cheaply.

"Coal trains brought coal mined in Yorkshire to Hull for export across the world and it was railways which shipped huge quantities of Australian wool from Hull to the mills of the West Riding."

He added that the exhibit was part of the Railway 200 nationwide commemorations with the support of the Hull and Barnsley Railway Stock Fund.

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