The special Railway 200 ‘Inspiration’ train has arrived in Kidderminster, the first stop in its year-long tour of Britain.
Severn Valley Railway (SVR) in Kidderminster welcomed the one-off train when it pulled into platform 2 at Kidderminster Town station on Friday.
Teams and volunteers from SVR, along with guests from Network Rail’s Central route, West Midlands Rail Executive and train operators including Avanti, CrossCountry and West Midlands Railway, gathered to celebrate Inspiration’s arrival and be some of the first to step on board.
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Inspiration pulled into the platform alongside locomotive GWR 1450, one of the heritage railway’s favourite steam locomotives.
The train will be open to visitors at SVR until 6 July 2025, before heading to Birmingham Moor Street, where Chiltern Railways will welcome visitors for three days from 8 to 10 July.
The four carriages consist of a ‘Railway Firsts’ coach, highlighting landmark moments in the development of the railway; a ‘Wonderlab on Wheels’ coach which invites visitors to test their engineering skills with a range of interactive exhibits; a carriage called ‘Your Railway Future’ showcasing some of the more hidden roles in rail and encouraging people to consider a career in rail to shape the next 200 years; and a ‘Partner Zone’ which will change as the train tours Britain and calls at its different locations.
More than 200,000 people, including many schoolchildren, are expected to visit the train at 60 different locations over the next 12 months.
The train is part of a year-long celebration of two centuries of the railway in Britain.
Denise Wetton, Network Rail’s Central route director, said: “We’re so excited that the Inspiration train has arrived here in Kidderminster at the Severn Valley Railway and that it’s next stop will Birmingham Moor Street. The West Midlands are at the Heart of Britain’s Railway, making it the perfect location for the first two stops of the Railway 200 national tour.
“This unique train will offer visitors an experience that showcases the railway’s vital role in Britain’s past, present, and future and I hope it inspires thousands of visitors from across the region who will be among the first in Britain to experience it.”
Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster, managing director of Severn Valley Railway, 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!”
Admission to the train is free, with tickets needing to be booked in advance, but normal entry charges to heritage railways and private sites where it is located will apply. Tickets can be booked at www.railway200.co.uk/inspiration.
A virtual tour of the exhibition experience is planned for those who are unable to visit in person.
