YORK political and tourism chiefs were quick to back the Save The NRM campaign.

City of York council leader James Alexander said: "The National Railway Museum is one of the gems in York’s crown and an asset that is essential to the city’s visitor economy, one we cannot contemplate losing.

“I hear the concerns of the Science Museum Group’s Director and have sympathy with his position, but there must be other options worthy of consideration before closing one of the Group’s three museums.

"There must be an exhaustive dialogue with the Government on alternatives before going down the route of closure. I will do everything in my powers as council leader to protect the NRM’s future here in York and give my full support to The Press campaign to do the same.”

York Central MP Hugh Bayley said: “Closure of the NRM should be unthinkable. It’s a public asset that brings hundreds of thousands of tourists to York, who spend millions of pounds in hotels, restaurants, shops and other businesses.

"If the Government wants to help the private sector come out of recession, continuing to fund the museum is one of the easiest ways to do it. It should also remain free. When charges were introduced by the last Conservative Government, attendances fell from a million a year to 300,000.”

Ian Gillies, leader of York Conservatives, said: “The NRM is not just the most important rail museum in this country. I would argue it is the most important in the world. We gave railways to the world and it would be a tragedy for it to be even under consideration for closure.”

Green councillor Dave Taylor said: “It’s outrageous that Government cuts could bring something as serious as this to pass. The NRM has been massively popular and educational for people from all over the UK and the world.”

York Liberal Democrat leader Keith Aspden said: “The National Railway Museum is a fantastic asset for York and a popular visitor attraction. We need to make sure the Government recognises this and works with the Science Museum Group to support it. I will be making representations to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in the coming days.”

Gillian Cruddas, chief executive of Visit York said: “We would fully support this new drive by The Press, which acknowledges the NRM’s importance as one of York’s and the country’s flagship museums.”