THE Government promised free, year-round access to our national museums. And York's National Railway Museum did just that - with one unhappy exception.

When the TV and movie star Thomas the Tank Engine appeared, the NRM had to charge a fee to cover its costs. As the visit coincided with school holidays, that effectively forced many families to pay to enter the NRM even if they were not Thomas fans. Quite unfair.

But the museum's bosses have worked hard to find a compromise. Next half term, you will only pay if you want to see Thomas. This is a sensible solution, for which we can only say: tanks a lot.

Updated: 11:42 Tuesday, January 28, 2003