An exhibition inside a train that’s packed with interactive fun and fascinating facts is heading to Swansea – and it’s completely free to visit.
More than 70,000 people have visited the Railway 200 exhibition train on its 60-stop, year-long tour of Britain, and 9 in 10 visitors would recommend it to a friend.
Co-curated with the National Railway Museum and called Inspiration, it uses rare artefacts and amazing stories to explore how railways transformed the world. It includes hands-on engineering challenges and a whistle-stop tour of interesting – and lesser-known – careers on the railways.
The next stops on its tour were announced this week, and excitingly it will be at Swansea railway station from Sunday 26 April to Tuesday 28 April, hosted by Transport for Wales and Network Rail.
Tickets are free but availability is limited. Local schools will be invited for free, bespoke tours.
This is Inspiration’s second trip to Wales after a successful stop in Llandudno, which saw more than 1,000 people visit.
Richard Jones visited with his nephews in Llandudno and described it as “fantastic”. He added: “There were so many exciting activities – we all loved it!”
Others have described it as “unique”, “extremely interesting” and “really well curated”.
Tara Jones Ulla, who visited in Somerset, said it was “brilliant”, adding: “It was so informative without being overwhelming, with lots of interactive and hands-on exhibits. I came away so happy!”
Inspiration is part of Railway 200, the national celebration marking two centuries since the birth of the modern railway: the first steam-hauled, passenger journey on a public railway.
Wales played a pivotal role in the origins of the modern railway: from Richard Trevithick’s early locomotive experiments to the horse-drawn Swansea and Mumbles Railway, the world’s first fare-paying passenger line.
Colin Lea, Planning and Performance Director at Transport for Wales, said:
“We’ve collaborated across the rail industry and communities to deliver events celebrating rail’s past, present and future.
“Following the success of Inspiration’s visit to Llandudno, TfW and NR have worked hard to get it to South Wales. We’re thrilled to be able to host it in Swansea, a city which played an important part in railway history.”
Emma Roberts, Programme Manager for Railway 200, said: “Railways are one of history’s most important inventions and inside this train you can explore the story of rail in a fun and family-friendly environment.
“Inspiration has already travelled thousands of miles across Britain – from Scotland to Southampton – and it had a fantastic reception in Llandudno, so we are hugely excited to welcome locals aboard in Swansea.
“Inspiration’s tour is coming to an end in June and this will be one of your last opportunities to see it – so make sure you don’t miss out!
Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said: “I’m proud to be celebrating our heritage as the birthplace of the modern railway; to this day our railway network is the backbone of our economy, driving economic growth, jobs and homes.
“With this train, we’re not just looking to the past, we are inspiring the diverse next generation of engineers, drivers, conductors and technicians, and shining a light on what the railway is delivering today.”
