200 years of rail: the importance of provenance
Can stories from rail’s remarkable history inspire us to record our own today? asks Rail Chaplain Mike Roberts.
‘It’s a great piece of history, but the provenance makes it so much more valuable.’ So said an expert on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow. They lifted the tiny piece of First World War heritage up and looked front and back. They explained the place that the medal held in history and the value that it would normally raise at auction.
‘Not only do we have the medal, not only is it in immaculate condition, but we have the story that goes along with it. We have his name, his service record, and his diaries—which tell us the facts that came with this medal and his story…The value is immensely increased because of the provenance that comes with it,’ the expert said.
As we mark 200 years of rail, we can visit our heritage lines and museums to understand our history. We can delve into archives and look at reports. But as I go around the network, I am increasingly convinced of the need to punctuate our institutional memory with our stories.
Our railway is shaped by the stories of the darkest days, but how do we tell the tales of the ordinary and every day? What will people remember 2025 for? ‘Capture the everyday before it disappears forever,’ say people on social media, bringing photos of trains knowing they will disappear one day, or locations before they’re changed forever.
The provenance of the railway story—the nuance in the interpretation of the people who work, commute, and travel on the railway—is unique to today. People will one day ask that about the railway today, just as we ask questions today about what life was like.
I’m fortunate to be in a job where I can stop and hear the stories from people—stories of celebration and lament, joy and pain, success and trauma. But the longer I spend listening to stories, the greater my fear that there are more and more crucial stories that risk being lost—never told, never passed on.
When I started on the railway in 2018, one of my driver managers’ offices had over 100 years of corporate knowledge and anecdote between three driver training managers. Those desks have new occupants, and though competence is maintained, narratives are often lost.
How do we, the railway family, tell our stories, narrate the history we are making, and preserve that history? How do we make sure today isn’t forgotten and that our piece of the puzzle isn’t lost forever? Getting this right will make the railway safer and more sustainable.
Whatever your role, business, or part you play, you own more than equipment and skills. You hold the provenance that goes with it. You have the experiences that change the story from being a two-dimensional fact into a three-dimensional experience. Tell the story, own the story, and preserve it for those to come.
Click here to tell your story.