Railway 200 Exhibition Train to Visit Lowestoft

Greater Anglia and Network Rail Anglia have announced that a special train will visit Lowestoft this summer as part of Railway 200 – a national celebration of two centuries of the modern railway.

The train, named Inspiration, will tour Britain through Summer 2026 and is expected to visit 60 different locations, including two in East Anglia this year. Inspiration will make a stop at Norwich station from 7 to 10 August 2025 and will then head to Lowestoft where it will stay from 11 to 14 August.

Admission to the train and the exhibitions is free; bookings will open shortly after Easter.

Curated in partnership with the National Railway Museum, the special train will promote the past, present and future of the railway. The mobile Railway 200 exhibition is designed to inspire schoolchildren and others to consider a career in rail, shining a spotlight on the wide range of roles available, and to create a more diverse workforce.

Inspiration will sport a special livery and consist of four reconfigured Mark 3 coaches, procured by Network Rail, with each coach featuring a different exhibit. Rail innovation will be on display in in a ‘Railway Firsts’ coach, highlighting landmark moments in the development of the railway. A ‘Wonderlab on Wheels’ will invite visitors to test their engineering skills with of range interactive exhibits. A carriage called ‘Your Railway Future’ will showcase some of the more hidden roles in rail and encouraging people to join the railway to shape the next 200 years. There will also be a ‘Partner Zone’, offering free, flexible exhibition space.

Emma Roberts, programme manager for Railway 200, a cross-sector, Government-backed campaign, said:

“This special exhibition train will provide a unique visitor experience for hundreds of thousands of people across Britain, including many schoolchildren. ‘Inspiration’ will excite, enlighten, entertain and encourage people to take a fresh view of the railway, as part of its bicentenary celebrations.

“It will also invite visitors to consider a career in rail by showcasing the extensive variety of roles available. We look forward to welcoming them onboard for an unforgettable and potentially life-changing experience.”

Martin Beable, Greater Anglia’s Managing Director, said:

“We are really looking forward to welcoming Inspiration to East Anglia and celebrating the 200th anniversary of the modern railway.

“Having the exhibition train at both Norwich and Lowestoft stations this summer will shine a spotlight on the past and present of the railway, while inspiring the next generation of railway talent.”

Katie Frost, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said:

“We’re proud to have played our part in enabling the exhibition train to come to Norfolk and Suffolk, and we’re really excited for people to see it here in August. Along with the other Railway 200 activities and events, the exhibition train is a great opportunity to celebrate the railway’s important role within communities all over the country.”

Rail’s bicentenary kicked off with a whistle-up of more than 200 locomotives across five continents on New Year’s Day, followed by the launch of a commemorative coin from The Royal Mint, a mega rail sale of discounted train tickets, Railway 200 train namings, and an anniversary merchandise range. More than 275 anniversary activities and events are listed on an interactive map, which is regularly updated https://railway200.co.uk/search-for-activities-and-events/

Further information can be found at https://railway200.co.uk/inspiration/