Press call - 200 years celebrated with Inspiration train at Bluebell Railway

Govia Thameslink Railway — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:22:14 +0100

Time: Jul 24, 09:00 – 13:00 BST
Location: East Grinstead/Horsted Keynes

What: Inspiration exhibition train with its STEM ‘Wonderlab on Wheels’ for youngsters, visits Bluebell Railway on UK tour to celebrate 200 years of the birth of the modern railway (Railway 200)

When: Thursday 24 July – AM (see below for details)

Location: Horsted Keynes station, Bluebell Railway, Sussex

Media opportunities:

Trip with stakeholders in a beautifully restored ‘Pullman’ carriage travelling from East Grinstead station (connecting with Southern Railway services) down to Horsted Keynes at 09:15, arriving approximately 09:40 for a launch event
‘Footplate ride’ on a historic steam locomotive on the Bluebell Railway
A chance to ‘drive’ a modern-day train using the latest digital signalling on a Govia Thameslink Railway simulator at Horsted Keynes – contrasting the old with the new
Interviews available with senior Network Rail, Govia Thameslink Railway and Bluebell Railway representatives
Opportunity to interview families visiting the Bluebell Railway and Inspiration
B-roll available of the Inspiration train moving around the country

More details

Inspiration – the national touring exhibition train – is to visit the Bluebell Railway next week, between Wednesday 23 July and Tuesday 29 July.

The visit to Horsted Keynes station on the heritage line marks the first visit of the train to Sussex, and media are invited to see it – and see people using it.

A stakeholder event will also be taking place on the morning of Thursday 24 July, beginning with a trip on a beautifully restored ‘Pullman’ train travelling from East Grinstead station (connecting with Southern Railway services) down to Horsted Keynes at 09:15, arriving approximately 09:40.

Media are invited on board the special train from East Grinstead – with other opportunities detailed above.

About Inspiration

Four carriages obtained by Network Rail have been converted into the eye-catching exhibition train, which has been curated in partnership with the National Railway Museum and promotes rail innovation and careers. The carriages have been fitted out with supported from a £250,000 grant courtesy of the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Rail’s pioneering pedigree is explored in a ‘railway firsts’ coach, highlighting landmark moments in rail’s development.
Next is the Wonderlab on Wheels, inviting visitors to test their engineering skills with hands-on exhibits adapted from the National Railway Museum’s own interactive railway-themed gallery.
The third carriage - Your Railway Future - showcases some of the less-know roles in rail and encourages people to join the railway to shape the next 200 years.
Finally, the fourth carriage carries a Partner Zone containing an exhibition space.

Contacts

Roger Perkins, Senior Media Relations Manager (Govia Thameslink Railway) - 0203 750 2031

Paul Prentice, Communications manager (Network Rail) - 07354 529 345

Jon Beardmore, Business Development Manager (Bluebell Railway) - 07740 423439

Press call – Campaign to install life-saving heart restarters

Govia Thameslink Railway — Wed, 19 Jun 2019 13:20:00 +0100

Time: Jun 21, 11:30 – 12:30 BST
Location: Lewes Railway Station

Friday, 21 June 2019 11.30am-12.30pm, Lewes Railway Station

Sussex Heart Charity (SHC), working in partnership with Southern Rail, demonstrates the use of one of their life-saving heart restarters (automated external defibrillators AEDs) to Lewes MP Maria Caulfield.

Cardiac patient Steve Morris, whose own life was saved by an AED, will show how easy the device is to use on the platform. Steve is now a qualified Community Resuscitation Trainer. Read Steve's story here.

SHC and Southern have installed heart restarters at over 50 stations across Sussex, safeguarding the lives of millions of passengers from potentially fatal cardiac arrests.

MP Maria Caulfield has a Private Member’s Bill to make it law that AEDs should be installed in every school and sports centre with the funding in place to enable this.

Interviewees available: Maria Caulfield MP; Mike Lewis, Cardiac Surgeon and Chair of the Sussex Heart Charity Trustees; cardiac patient Steve Morris; Mark Whitley, Head of Safety for Southern’s parent company Govia Thameslink Railway

RSVP: Roger Perkins, Southern Railway, GTR press office roger.perkins@gtrailway.com 0203 750 2031

GTR - events

Press call - 200 years celebrated with Inspiration train at Bluebell Railway

Press call – Campaign to install life-saving heart restarters