At Kidderminster Town station on Friday 27 June, the Severn Valley Railway will host the debut of a free and unique railway experience as part of the year-long, national celebrations for Railway 200, the 200th birthday of the modern railway.
‘Inspiration’ is a fascinating and interactive touring exhibition train that tells the story of the past, present and future of Britain’s railways. Limited adult and child tickets are available for 27, 28 and 29 June as well as 5 and 6 July. Tickets are free, but time slots must be pre-booked, and a small booking fee will apply.
‘It’s wonderful that the Severn Valley Railway is the first venue in the country for this unforgettable event,’ said SVR managing director Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster. ‘We know that it’s going to be a massive attraction for families and people of all ages, and we’re proud to host it at Kidderminster Town station as part of our 10-day celebration of Railway 200. This is definitely something you don’t want to miss!’
Denise Wetton, Network Rail’s Central route director, said:
‘We can’t wait for ‘Inspiration’ to arrive at the Severn Valley Railway later this month. With the West Midlands at the heart of Britain’s railway, it’s only fitting that it makes its first stop here. We hope that thousands of visitors will enjoy learning about our important railway history and maybe even inspire the next generation to consider a career in rail!’
The exhibition train ‘Inspiration’ will appear in a specially commissioned one-off livery and visitors will be able to hop on board to experience a voyage of discovery alongside the platform at Kidderminster Town station.
The Railway Firsts carriage will chart the big moments in the last 200 years, journeying back in time to piece together the story of railway that actually started with the ancient Greeks. Visitors will be able to discover rail’s influence on everything we take for granted from the places we go, the jobs we do, the films we see and even the time on the clock.
There’ll be a Wonderlab on wheels, providing an unmissable, interactive family experience where you can test out your scientific and engineering skills.
And you can find out about some of the more surprising careers there are on the railway today, from saving the planet and making videos, to using coding skills and applying ecological knowledge to protect wildlife across the railway network.
As well as being open to the public on five days of its 10-stay at the SVR, ‘Inspiration’ will also welcome hundreds of children on school trips between 30 June and 4 July.
On 5 and 6 July, ‘Inspiration’ will form part of the SVR’s Railway 200: Trains through the Ages weekend. The intensively-timetabled event will feature a host of rolling stock from all eras, including the iconic steam engine ‘Tornado’, as well as HydroFLEX, the latest in cutting edge rail technology, the SVR’s Autotrain and many other steam and heritage diesel locomotives.
Book free tickets for the ‘Inspiration’ exhibition train at svr.co.uk. Please note, these tickets do not include travel on the SVR, which is payable separately.
Tickets for Railway 200: Trains through the Ages on 5 and 6 July are at svr.co.uk.