Railway anniversary celebrations to hit the tracks

"Inspiration" will be a travelling exhibition consisting of four railway carriages travelling around the UK, organisers say

A special train forming a travelling celebration marking the 200th anniversary of the modern railway is to criss-cross the UK over the next 12 months.

The exhibition would highlight British railway firsts, get visitors to test their rail-related skills, showcase hidden sides of the railway and encourage youngsters to get involved, organisers said.

The "Inspiration" train is due to be launched at the Severn Valley Railway on 27 June before visiting 60 locations, such as the National Railway Museum in York, Shildon's Locomotion and the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, over the coming year.

Emma Roberts, from the Railway 200 campaign, said it would be an "unforgettable experience" for visitors.

The train is part of national celebrations marking 200 years since the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the first railway in the world to operate passenger and freight trains.

Ms Roberts, programme manager for Railway 200, said the train would become a "new national visitor attraction".

It would "excite, enlighten, entertain and inspire" visitors to take a fresh look at the railway as part of the anniversary celebrations, she said.

'New generation'

The full schedule for the train's first six months was expected to include visits to, among others, the Bluebell Railway in Sussex, Darlington Station, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Glasgow Central Station, Doncaster Railport and Llandudno Station, with this year's itinerary due to end at London's Victoria Station on 18-20 December.

According to organisers, the visits to the north east of England would form part of S&DR200, a nine-month international festival inspired by the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

Meanwhile, the train's visit to the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway would be part of the varied programme of events celebrating Bradford's year as UK City of Culture.

Noel Harley, business and operations manager for the Keighley & Worth Valley, said there was "no better time to become inspired by the breadth of the rail industry and how it has changed the world over 200 years".

"We are looking forward to welcoming a diverse audience to view the train and hopefully inspire a new generation of rail workers and enthusiasts," he added.

Admission to the train would be free, and locations planned for it to visit in 2026 would be announced later this year, organisers said.

The exhibition will tour the country for 12 months from the end of June

The special train would consist of four carriages, each with a different theme, they added.

One coach would celebrate railway firsts, highlighting landmark moments in the industry's development.

A "Wonderlab on Wheels" coach would invite people to test their engineering skills with hands-on exhibits from the National Railway Museum's interactive railway-themed gallery.

Another carriage, entitled Your Railway Future, would showcase some of the less well known roles on the railway, and encourage people to join the industry to shape its next 200 years, according to organisers.

Finally, another carriage, known as the Partner Zone, would offer a free, flexible exhibition space.