Scottish dates announced for 'unforgettable' exhibition train to celebrate major rail anniversary
Railway 200 showcase to visit five Scottish stations in October
A special exhibition train is to tour Scotland in October as part of celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of the modern railway.
The four-carriage display will feature landmarks in the network’s development, interactive engineering challenges and a showcase of the range of rail jobs available to encourage more young people to join the industry.
Entry to the Railway 200 show called Inspiration will be free but by pre-booked ticket, with visitors able to register interest in seeing the exhibition so they can be notified when bookings for the Scottish dates open.
It will be at Glasgow Central station on October 11-12, the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway on October 13-14, Strathspey Railway on October 16-17, Aberdeen station on October 19-20 and Edinburgh Waverley station from October 22-23.
Free tickets are already available for the first three weeks of the tour, which starts on June 27 on the Severn Valley Railway at Kidderminster in Worcestershire.
It will then visit Birmingham, Euston and Waterloo stations in London before touring the rest of Britain until December with further dates next year.
The exhibition, devised with the National Railway Museum, comprises a “Railway Firsts” coach, “Wonderlab on Wheels”, enabling visitors to test their engineering skills, and a “Your Railway Future” carriage, showcasing some lesser-known industry jobs to encourage interest in railway careers.
The fourth coach, known as the “Partner Zone”, will offer free, flexible exhibition space.
More than 200,000 people are expected to visit the train, which will be open from 10am to 5pm with visits expected to last up to an hour.
A virtual online tour of the exhibition is also planned.
‘Incredible achievement’
Alan Ross, engineering and asset management director at Network Rail Scotland, said: “The railway has been a vital lifeline for two centuries, connecting places and people to deliver critical services and boost economic growth.
“It's also a symbol of transport innovation, continually evolving to meet the needs of modern life.
“The exhibition train honours this incredible achievement while looking forward to the exciting journey ahead.
“I encourage everyone to visit the train at your nearest stop this October to celebrate its rich history, recognise its connections to your own community, and get an exclusive glimpse of the future of rail travel.”
Railway 200 programme manager Emma Roberts 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.
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