Collection: Rushden Transport Museum

Collection-level records:

• Collection history (Collection development policy)

  The Society was formed in 1976 by a small group of local enthusiasts. The museum is housed in the station building of the former Rushden railway station, which was acquired by the Society in 1984. It forms part of the station site with adjacent buildings and railway track, which is the setting for the Society’s historic vehicles and trains. Regular themed weekend events and heritage train rides are held throughout the year, which display the heritage that the Society aims to promote.

  The collection has developed through finds by Society members, gifts and loans and for many years the museum was managed by the former curator, Peter Horn. Since 2013 it has been run by a Museum Management Group, made up of volunteers from the Society, and a Museum Mentor was appointed in 2014. The museum is now more focused on the history of road and rail transport relating to the local area and its role in the surrounding community.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2024

  Licence: CC BY-NC

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  The restored Victorian station building, in which the collection is displayed, and the other buildings, trains and vehicles on the site are of significant historical interest and retain a number of period features and fittings.

  The Society’s museum collection includes a range of smaller artefacts kept in the rooms of the former Rushden Station, now referred to as the Museum. The current collection includes a considerable quantity of unprovenanced generic material, some of which has been used as set dressing and is not regarded as part of the collection that it is our intention to preserve for future generations. The Society also holds a number of road and rail vehicles that are held as part of its operating collection and are not managed as a part of the museum collection.

  The artefacts in the museum collection are roughly grouped by types of transport, the largest group being those associated with railways and in particular with the branch line that Rushden Station served. The other main group relates to road transport, again with some reference to the local area. Theoretically all these items should have a direct relationship to the Rushden area although this is not always the case. The material in the collections dates to the 20th century.

  The artefacts, which are estimated to total c.1000 items, include:-

  • Railway Collection – Advertising posters, noticeboards, signs, luggage, trolleys, uniforms, photographs, track tools and equipment, maps, lamps, timetables, tickets, memorabilia
  • Road Transport Collection – The Rushden Ashford Litter, Lightstrung bicycles, motorcycles, signs, badges, tickets, memorabilia
  • Sundry/Generic Collection – Vending machines, oil lamps,

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2024

  Licence: CC BY-NC