Next stop Bluebell Railway as special exhibition train Inspiration is expected to see over 2,000 visitors

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Network Rail and Govia Thameslink Railway have issued the following press release.

The visit of a special exhibition train to the Bluebell Railway is expected to see over 2,000 people during its seven-day stopover, showcasing the jobs and careers that the railway can offer, as well as the social purpose that has driven it for two centuries, connecting people and goods with places across the country.

At an event at the station on Thursday, special guests arrived on a magnificent 1920s Pullman train to mark the official opening of the new platform 1 – which had previously been disused for over a century – and a chance to look around a special train that provides the centrepiece for the Railway 200 celebrations.

Inspiration – as the train is known – is open to visitors at Horsted Keynes station on the Bluebell Railway until 29 July, and entry is free with a valid Bluebell Railway ticket.

Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s Sussex route director said: “For 200 years, our railway has played a crucial role in supporting access to employment, education and leisure. We are now moving towards a new era of integration as we move towards Great British Railways, and our work to support thriving communities through increased access to opportunities has never been more important.

“Looking to the future, we want to attract a whole new generation of talent to consider a career in railway. On board Inspiration, visitors are already seeing how young people are already building exciting careers in rail whether you’re interested in cyber security, sustainability or piloting a drone. Not all careers on the railway are what you might expect.”

Neil Glaskin for the Bluebell Railway said: “We’re delighted to have Inspiration with us for a week at the start of the school holidays, the best chance for people in Sussex and Surrey to see it in 2025. If you’re wondering what to do with the kids at the start of the holidays, then this is the answer.

“We have lots of other activities going on too, including the chance to try out a full-specification train driving simulator thanks to Govia Thameslink Railway, and the opportunity to have a go at Eggsperiment! - a fun and educational activity loaned to us by the London Transport Museum. There will also be lots of steam trains in operation.”

“We would like to thank our partners in the rail industry and throughout Sussex for helping us to put on our Railway 200 event, which has already seen thousands of school children, Scouts and members of Girlguiding visit the Bluebell Railway. The celebrations continue all through the summer.”

Angie Doll, Chief Executive Officer of Govia Thameslink Railway that runs Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern services, said: "Here at Southern and Thameslink, with our services to East Grinstead, we help thousands of people visit the Bluebell Railway. It’s a fabulous visitor attraction and the perfect partner to celebrate our 200th anniversary of the modern railway.

“Last month we started giving away 9,000 free rail tickets for schoolchildren, Scouts and Guides to visit. This month and throughout August, visitors will be able to glimpse the future by ‘driving’ one of our trains on a simulator using the very latest digital signalling. Please come and visit!"

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.”

Curated in partnership with the National Railway Museum, Inspiration is the only exhibition train on the rail network and will help to attract the next generation of pioneering talent to the railway. The train opened to the public at the end of June and will criss-cross Britain for 12 months, visiting 60 locations and showcasing rail’s past, present and future.

Over 200,000 people are expected to visit the train this year, with Inspiration having begun its tour of the south east with sold out visits to London Waterloo before heading to Margate and the Bluebell Railway, where it will be stationed between 23 and 29 July. The train will also visit London Victoria between 18-20 December, and it is hoped to confirm further dates in the south east for 2026 later this year.

ENDS

Notes for Editors

Inspiration is Railway 200’s unique touring exhibition train. Curated in partnership with The National Railway Museum, it is Britain’s newest visitor attraction and will showcase 200 years of railway innovations, combining past, present, and future railway milestones with hands-on interactivity and career-focused activities. Inspiration has already received an award from VisitEngland for its Outstanding Contribution to Tourism as part of the organisation’s Awards for Excellence 2025.

Inspiration will be open from 10AM to 4PM from 23rd July to 29th July inclusive. (11AM on 24th July). Timed tickets can be booked online, with any spare slots available on the day. The Bluebell Railway is running an intensive timetable of trains over the period to allow easy access to Horsted Keynes from East Grinstead (where the Bluebell Railway connects with national rail services from London and Croydon), and from Sheffield Park station.

Normal Bluebell Railway fares apply during the visit of ‘Inspiration’, including ‘Kids for a Quid’, which allows youngsters under 16 to travel on the railway all day for just £1 when accompanied by a fare-paying adult. There is no additional charge to visit ‘Inspiration’.

What is Railway 200?

2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the modern railway, inspired by the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825, a journey that changed the world forever.

Under the banner of Railway 200, nationwide celebrations are planned throughout the year, showcasing how the railway shaped Britain and the world and how its pioneering pedigree continues today and is shaping tomorrow.

The Bluebell Railway

The Bluebell Railway is the oldest standard-gauge preserved public railway in the world, and celebrates its own 65th anniversary in 2025. It operates steam trains over an 11-mile line running from Sheffield Park to East Grinstead, where it connects with the national rail network. The Bluebell Railway is one of Sussex’s top tourist attractions and is the custodian of probably the finest collection of heritage railway vehicles running in Britain. The Bluebell Railway regularly features in films, on TV and in print. Visit www.bluebell-railway.com or contact jon.beardmore@bluebell-railway.com for more information