The
first


13
places
to
be
visited
by
the
Railway
200
exhibition
train
‘Inspiration’
from
27
June
have
been
announced.

The
four-coach
train
will
open
to
the
public
for
the
first
time
at
the
Severn
Valley
Railway
between
27
June
and
6
July.

The
train
is
expected
to
visit
60
locations
over
12
months,
with
some
of
its
contents
arranged
by
the
National
Railway
Museum.

Rail’s
innovation
and
pioneering
pedigree
will
be
explored
in
a
‘Railway
Firsts’
coach,
highlighting
landmark
moments
in
the
development
of
the
railway.
Alongside
will
be
a
‘Wonderlab
on
Wheels’,
inviting
visitors
to
test
their
engineering
skills
with
a
range
of
interactive
exhibits.

This
will
be
next
to
a
carriage
called
‘Your
Railway
Future’,
explaining
some
of
the
less
well-known
jobs
in
rail
and
encouraging
people
to
join
the
industry.
There
will
also
be
a
‘Partner
Zone’,
offering
free,
flexible
exhibition
space.

The
carriages,
which
are
currently
being
fitted
out,
are
supported
by
a
£250,000
grant
from
The
National
Lottery
Heritage
Fund.
The
train
will
be
operated
by
GB
Railfreight.

After
the
Severn
Valley,
the
train’s
next
12
dates
are

Birmingham
Moor
Street
station
from
8
to
10
July,

London
Euston
from
12
to
15
July,

London
Waterloo
on
18
and
19
July,

Margate
station
on
20
and
21
July,
the

Bluebell
Railway
from
23
to
29
July,

Alstom
Derby
from
1
to
3
August,

Norwich
station
from
7
to
10
August,

Lowestoft
station
from
11
to
14
August,

Freightliner
Doncaster
on
16
and
17
August,
the

National
Railway
Museum
in
York
from
23
to
31
August,

Darlington
station
from
10
to
17
September
and
the
Locomotion
Museum
at

Shildon
in
County
Durham
from
20
September
to
1
October.

The
Shildon
visit
will coincide
with
the
200th
anniversary
of
the
first
passenger
train
to
be
hauled
by
a
steam
locomotive,
which
ran
along
the
Stockton
&
Darlington
Railway
on
27
September
1825.

The
organisers
say
further
details
will
be
announced
‘as
local
arrangements
and
the
complex
train
planning
process’
continue,
and
that
the
train
will
visit
all
regions
of
England
as
well
as
Scotland
and
Wales.

Railway
200
programme
manager
Emma
Roberts
said:
‘This
special
exhibition
train
will
provide
a
unique
experience
for
hundreds
of
thousands
of
people
across
Britain,
including
many
schoolchildren.
‘Inspiration’
will
excite,
enlighten,
entertain
and
encourage
people
to
take
a
fresh
view
of
the
railway,
as
part
of
its
bicentenary
celebrations.

‘It
will
also
invite
visitors
to
consider
a
career
in
rail.
We
look
forward
to
welcoming
them
on
board
for
an
unforgettable
and
potentially
life-changing
experience.’

Do
you
have
a
comment
on
this
story?
Please
click here  to
send
an
email
to
Platform
at
Railnews.

Moderated
comments
will
be
published
on
this
site,
and
may
also
be
used
in
the
next
print
edition.