{"id":205729,"date":"2025-04-25T18:37:23","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T08:37:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/railuk.com\/?p=176941"},"modified":"2025-04-25T18:37:23","modified_gmt":"2025-04-25T08:37:23","slug":"railway-200-bookings-now-open-for-unique-touring-exhibition-train-coming-to-sussex-this-july","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=205729","title":{"rendered":"Railway 200: Bookings now open for unique touring exhibition train coming to Sussex this July"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Bookings have now opened for visits to a new and unique exhibition train, part of a national celebration of the 200th<\/sup> anniversary of the modern railway called Railway 200. <\/strong><\/p>\n

The train, named Inspiration, launches at Severn Valley Railway in Worcestershire on 27 June and will criss-cross Britain over the following 12 months, visiting 60 locations including the Bluebell Railway in Sussex, showcasing rail\u2019s past, present and future in new, fun and engaging ways.<\/p>\n

Across Network Rail\u2019s Southern region, which serves rail passengers and freight operators from Devon in the West, to Kent in the East, this exhibition train will also visit London Waterloo station (18-19 July) and Margate station in Kent (20-21 July).<\/p>\n

Tickets are now available to book for visits from 27 June to 1 October. The itinerary for the rest of 2025 and first six months of 2026 will be confirmed this summer. <\/p>\n

Curated in partnership with the National Railway Museum, Inspiration will be the only exhibition train on the rail network and will help to attract the next generation of pioneering talent to the railway.<\/p>\n

Inspiration will comprise four eye-catching carriages. Rail\u2019s pioneering pedigree will be explored in a \u2018Railway Firsts\u2019 coach, highlighting landmark moments in rail\u2019s development. Alongside will be a \u2018Wonderlab on Wheels\u2019, inviting visitors to test their engineering skills with hands-on exhibits.  Next will be a \u2018Your Railway Future\u2019 carriage, showcasing some of the more hidden roles in rail and encouraging people to join the railway to shape the next 200 years. The final coach is a \u2018Partner Zone\u2019, offering free, flexible exhibition space. <\/p>\n

The carriages are currently being fitted out, supported by a \u00a3250k grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. <\/p>\n

More than 200,000 people, including many schoolchildren, are expected to visit by prior booking. Admission to the train will be free, but normal entry charges to heritage railways and private sites where it is located will apply.<\/p>\n

The train will visit the North East of England in September – rail\u2019s 200th anniversary month – as part of S&DR200, a nine-month international festival inspired by the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) in 1825, a journey that changed the world forever.<\/p>\n

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