- Railway 200’s free exhibition train celebrates past, present and future of rail for 200th anniversary
- 40,000 have visited, describing it as “brilliant” and “interactive” & 9 in 10 would recommend it to a friend
- The popular and family-friendly attraction is on a 60-stop, year-long tour of Britain and 16 new dates have been announced, including Preston, Crewe and Cambridge
- Tickets are free but availability is limited.
A free, family-friendly exhibition train celebrating 200 years of the modern railway has added 16 new dates to its year-long tour.
More than 40,000 have already visited Inspiration on its 60-stop tour of Britain – and it has received rave reviews, with 9 in 10 saying they would recommend it to a friend.
Co-curated with the National Railway Museum, Inspiration reveals how railways transformed the UK – and ultimately the world. It includes a fascinating look at railway firsts, hands-on engineering challenges and a whistle-stop tour of interesting – and lesser-known – careers on our railways.
The first dates of 2026 were announced today, including Preston, Colchester, Cambridge, Upminster and the railway town Crewe. Tickets are free but availability is limited.
Inspiration has been described as “brilliant” and “fascinating”. One recent visitor said they “loved that it was interactive. I visited with people from age 18 to 85 and there was something for everyone”.
Another said: “I loved everything as soon as I got on board. The displays and history of the railways to the interactive stuff was all brilliant in my eyes, even my five-year-old daughter absolutely loved it.”
Inspiration is free to visit, although normal entry for heritage railways may apply. It will visit (all dates inclusive):
| Destination | Dates | Host |
|---|---|---|
| Preston | 6 Jan – 9 Jan | Ribble Steam Railway |
| Southport | 10 Jan – 13 Jan | Merseyrail |
| Crewe | 15 Jan – 19 Jan | Avanti West Coast |
| Bury | 21 Jan – 24 Jan | East Lancashire Railway |
| Upminster | 26 Jan – 30 Jan | c2c Rail |
| Cambridge | 31 Jan – 1 Feb | Greater Anglia |
| Colchester | 3 Feb – 4 Feb | Greater Anglia |
| Clacton | 5 Feb – 6 Feb | Greater Anglia |
| Hertford | 7 Feb – 8 Feb | Greater Anglia |
| Swanage | 16 Feb – 18 Feb | Swanage Railway |
| Hampshire | 19 Feb – 20 Feb | The Watercress Line |
| Salisbury | 21 Feb – 23 Feb | South Western Railway |
| Kingston | 25 – 26 Feb | South Western Railway |
| Worthing | 27 Feb – 28 Feb | Southern |
| Epsom | 9 Mar – 11 Mar | Southern |
| Hastings | 12 Mar – 15 Mar | Southeastern |
Inspiration is part of Railway 200, the national campaign celebrating two centuries of the modern railway. Thousands of events across the UK and the world have celebrated a British innovation that revolutionised travel, supercharged economies and enabled mass tourism, sports leagues and the standardisation of time.
Emma Roberts, Programme Manager for Railway 200, said: “Inspiration is a fun, free and fascinating way to learn about the past, present and future of rail. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re a rail enthusiast or simply curious about a British innovation that changed the world.
“Inspiration is heading to so many fantastic places in 2026 –we can’t wait to welcome you aboard.”
Thousands of children have already visited Inspiration, and many thousands more will visit for personalised tours and inclusive STEM lessons in 2026. Contact the Railway 200 schools team for more.
Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said: “I’m proud to be celebrating our heritage as the birthplace of the modern railway; to this day our railway network is the backbone of our economy, driving economic growth, jobs and homes.
“With this train, we’re not just looking to the past, we are inspiring the diverse next generation of engineers, drivers, conductors and technicians, and shining a light on what the railway is delivering today.”
Railway 200 celebrates two centuries since Stephenson’s Locomotion No. 1 steamed along the Stockton and Darlington Railway. The bicentenary kicked off on New Year’s Day 2025 with a ‘whistle-up’ of more than 200 locomotives across five continents. The year has included a replica journey of Locomotion No. 1 watched by 100,000, commemorative poems, coins and stamps, the world’s biggest rail festival, and much more.
Inspiration was supported by a £250,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Porterbrook funded its eye-catching livery.