Railway 200: Bookings are now open for the unique touring exhibition train coming to Kent this July

Bookings have now opened for visits to a new and unique exhibition train, part of a national celebration of the 200^th anniversary of the modern railway called Railway 200. 

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 Margate station in Kent, showcasing rail’s past, present and future in new, fun and engaging ways.

Across Network Rail’s 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 the Bluebell Railway in Sussex (23-29 July).

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. 

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.

Inspiration will comprise four eye-catching carriages. Rail’s pioneering pedigree will be explored in a ‘Railway Firsts’ coach, highlighting landmark moments in rail’s development. Alongside will be a ‘Wonderlab on Wheels’, inviting visitors to test their engineering skills with hands-on exhibits.  Next will be a ‘Your Railway Future’ 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 ‘Partner Zone’, offering free, flexible exhibition space. 

The carriages are currently being fitted out, supported by a £250k grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. 

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.

The train will visit the North East of England in September - rail’s 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.

Bookings are now open for:

To book visit https://railway200.co.uk/inspiration/

Bookings for the following events will open in the coming weeks and we’ll notify you in advance. You can also check our webpage and social channels for the latest updates. 

Inspiration is also visiting ‘Alstom Presents: The Greatest Gathering’ in Derby between 1 & 3 August 2025, but please note that this event is already sold out. 

No passengers will be carried on the train as it travels to its exhibition sites.  Booked visits will take place between 10am and 5pm, with the on-train experience expected to last up to an hour.  A virtual tour of the exhibition experience is planned for those who are unable to visit in person.

David Davidson, Network Rail’s Kent route director, said:

“We’re delighted to have Inspiration visiting us in Margate this July in what promises to be a really exciting event.

“We’re proud to be hosting this bicentenary train alongside our alliance partners Southeastern and cant wait to welcome the visitors to Margate station to explore and enjoy this unique exhibition.”

Steve White, Southeastern managing director, said:

"We are delighted to welcome Inspiration to Margate as part of the Railway 200 celebrations. The railway has been connecting communities for 200 years, and this exhibition train is a fantastic way to showcase the rich history of rail, its future innovations, and the exciting careers it offers. We hope it will inspire a new generation to play their part in shaping the future of railway travel as a catalyst for economic growth, decarbonisation and social mobility.”

Emma Roberts, programme manager for Railway 200, a cross-sector, Government-backed bicentenary campaign, said:

“This special exhibition train is set to become a new, national visitor attraction, providing an unforgettable experience for hundreds of thousands of people across Britain, including many schoolchildren. It will excite, enlighten, entertain and inspire them to take a fresh look at the railway, as part of its anniversary celebrations.”

You can find out more about Inspiration and what you can expect from this unique experience here. 

For more on Railway 200 and how to get involved visit www.railway200.co.uk