REAL life brief encounters and romance from the railways have found a place in a permanent new exhibition.

The National Railway Museum in York has launched its Station Stories project as part of a £1.4m redevelopment.

It encouraged people to share their memories of trains and stations and found many people had found love on the railways.

Residents from across the north of England contributed their stories, including people from Ferryhill Station in County Durham and Sowerby Bridge near Thirsk, North Yorkshire.

Margaret Blythe wrote to the museum to share her memories from 1940s County Durham.

She wrote: “In 1947, I was waiting at Ferryhill Station in County Durham for my boyfriend - a porter at the station - when this handsome young man passed me and gave me a lovely smile.

“Shortly after I met him again in the cinema queue and made sure I sat near him.

"From then on he was my special boyfriend. He was a signal man in number three cabin at Ferryhill station. We married in 1953 and we are still in love and mad about trains in 2012.

"Our son became an engine driver.”

The memories were added to exhibits including posters and films to create the impression of a snapshot of life in a large station.

Ruth Leach, from the museum, said: “It is stories from the Great British public that has really helped bring our exhibits to life.

“A recurring theme has been romance, with many people revealing they have met their soul mates on board a train or arranged romantic rendezvous at stations.”

The redevelopment has also made many of the major exhibits from Britain’s national collection, such as the royal trains, more accessible.