The National Railway Museum Collection contains some 490 oil paintings, created by artists inspired by the railways or commissioned by them to promote their services. Many feature railway scenes, but perhaps surprisingly most of the paintings have no obvious railway subject. These are original poster artworks, which encompass a wide range of places, subjects, styles and artists. The Collection also includes many portraits, with subjects ranging from engineers and senior officials to ordinary workers. There are also maritime scenes, reflecting the railways’ role in operating docks and shipping. The National Railway Museum was founded in 1975, and its art collection combines works from the former York Railway Museum, the Museum of British Transport and the Science Museum. The museum continues to collect works relating to the story of railways.