| dc.description.abstract | The original public attitudes towards railways were of apprehension and fear, and trust in this technology developed gradually over the decades. However, the former half of the 20th century saw substantial shifts on a large scale in the way railways were perceived. The popularisation of railway enthusiasm through such phenomena as trainspotting and commemorations of the centenaries of pioneering railway companies spread a perception of railways as something more than a functional method of transport, but also something with innate sentimental value which pleasure and hobbies could be derived from. Modernisation of the railways, which grew to increasingly rapid levels in the post-war years, brought an additional nostalgic value to the railways for those reminiscing about the way they used to be. The combination of these perceptions spurred on the development of what is now the enormous government-sponsored National Railway Museum, and directly motivated the rise of the volunteer-run, not-for-profit heritage railway movement. These institutions are part of the railway preservation movement, and through the use of the artefacts in their care they aim to educate and offer approximate experiences of railways as they existed in the past. To be able to sustain themselves, they have opted to function as part of the tourism industry and to appeal to the general public, seeing this as the most viable demographic to source revenue from to fund maintenance of their operations. They call on the concept of heritage as a formulation of the appeal of the railways as something beyond the purely functional, and as a tool to convey and advertise the value upheld and offered for consumption. Appealing to tourists, and by extent, wider audiences to fund the maintenance of their operations has been a feature of the institutions from their early days, but also one that has faced the consternation and discussion of historical authenticity-focused railway enthusiasts. The wearing down of and modifications made to railway artefacts to keep them operational is another point of discussion without a conclusive answer. Numerous railway preservation institutions believe, and follow the principle, that to be sustainable, a balance must be maintained between conservation of the types of artefacts originally deemed to be heritage, and functioning as tourist attractions that are appealing to wider audiences. Leaning too far towards the conservation side can lead to losing track of the financial needs of the institutions and alienating the general public, while leaning too far towards the commercial tourism side can lead to losing sight of the movement’s original principles and to seriously compromising both the physical condition of the artefacts in their care compared to the state in which they entered preservation, and the way they are conveyed to visitors. | eng |