Could you volunteer on the Railway 200 exhibition train?
This year marks the 200th anniversary of rail, writes Sarah Bradley. If you’re a rail fan with enthusiasm to spare, here’s a chance to volunteer right at the heart of the celebrations…
To mark 200 years of railway passenger services, a special train will make its way around the UK from 27 June. Inspiration is the Railway 200 exhibition train that celebrates the last 200 years of rail, and also looks to the future.
Could you volunteer to help bring this train to the public? If you volunteer you will help to steward the train at your chosen station for a day from 9:30am to 5:30pm, doing things like checking tickets and helping people with boarding. You will have regular breaks. You will also need to attend an online briefing on Microsoft Teams ahead of your volunteering session.
Here are the stations where Inspiration will be visiting. To offer to volunteer, please fill in this form.
| Stop | Dates |
|---|---|
| Euston | 12 - 15 July 2025 |
| Margate | 20 - 21 July 2025 |
| Bluebell Railway Sussex: Horsted Keynes | 23 - 29 July 2025 |
| Derby Alstom | 1 - 3 August 2025 |
| Norwich | 7 - 10 August 2025 |
| Lowestoft | 11 - 14 August 2025 |
| Freightliner Doncaster Railport | 16 - 17 August 2025 |
| National Railway Museum York | 23 - 31 August 2025 |
| Darlington | 10 - 17 September 2025 |
| Locomotion Shildon | 20 September - 1 October 2025 |
| Newton Aycliffe | 4 October 2025 |
| North Yorkshire Moors Railway | 5 - 7 October 2025 |
| Glasgow Central station | 11 - 12 October 2025 |
| Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway | 13 - 14 October 2025 |
| Strathspey Railway | 16 - 17 October 2025 |
| Aberdeen station | 19 - 20 October 2025 |
| Edinburgh Waverley station | 22 - 23 October 2025 |
| Keighley & Worth Valley Railway | 25 October - 2 November 2025 |
| Blackpool North station | 4 - 7 November 2025 |
| Llandudno station | To be confirmed |
| West Somerset Railway | 24 - 29 November 2025 |
| Paddington station | 8 - 13 December 2025 |
| Southampton Central station | 14 - 16 December 2025 |
| London Victoria station | 18 - 20 December 2025 |
To offer to volunteer, please fill in this form.
If you do volunteer please do let us know, we would be really interested to hear your experiences. Email your experiences to supporterservices@bettertransport.org.uk.
Picture below: inside one of Inspiration’s carriages.
