Watch: Arrival of inspirational Railway 200 travelling exhibition to Midlands heritage railway
Cheers and smiles greeted the arrival of a special train at Severn Valley Railway's Kidderminster Town station as part of a mobile heritage exhibition.
Severn Valley's managing director Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster said: "We are thrilled that the Severn Valley Railway is the first venue to host Inspiration and we know that our visitors over the next 10 days are going to love it. It’s a fascinating look into everything related to the railway with exciting interactive exhibits that are really going to spark the imagination.
"The best thing of all is that it’s free for everyone to visit.
"For the final two days of Inspiration’s stay with us on July 5 and 6, it’s our Railway 200 - Trains through the Ages weekend. This is going to be really special, with an intensive timetable and rolling stock from all eras including the visiting LMS 46115 Scots Guardsman and HydroFLEX which is the cutting edge in current rail technology.
There’ll be footplate rides on narrow gauge locos Chaloner and Holy War at The Engine House, Highley plus our own Autotrain and many other steam and heritage diesel locomotives. We’ve even got a flypast by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Lancaster bomber."
Inspiration will call at 60 destinations as part of the track tour aimed to inspire the next generation of railway talent and workers.
"This unique train will offer visitors an experience that showcases the railway’s vital role in Britain’s past, present, and future. I am so excited to see it inspire thousands of visitors who will be among the first to experience what this remarkable train has to offer."
Network Rail’s central route director Denise Wetton added: "We’re so excited that the Inspiration train has arrived and opened its doors for the first time here in Kidderminster.
Birmingham and the West Midlands are at the heart of Britain’s railway, making it the perfect starting point for the Railway 200 exhibition train tour.
Railway 200 is a year-long, nationwide celebration of the 200th anniversary of modern railways, aimed at attracting the next generation of pioneering talent.
Inspiration will remain at Kidderminster Town station until July 6. Entry is free, but time slots must be booked in advance via website svr.co.uk and a small booking fee applies. Tickets to visit the exhibition train do not include travel.
More than 160 people led by Rail Minister Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill were at the launch event at London Paddington station to signal the start of the train’s 12-month tour of Britain.
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 and what it can do in future, alongside bringing services back into public ownership, laying the foundations for Great British Railways, and building a railway we can all be proud of.”
