A MAJOR Britishmuseumwas once reputed to have thrown away a collection of ancient Greek tools because they weren’t beautiful. A sad tale, but lack of awareness of technological heritage in museums is still with us even in institutions where it should be required.
The National Railway Museum had a well-equipped workshop with a viewing gallery where historic locomotives were restored and maintained. Large equipment included a crane, wheeldrop, and specialist machine tools for heavy repairs. Some, like a 1950s Elliott vertical slotting machine, came from York’s carriage works, itself a link with the city’s own rich