MARKING 200 years of the modern railway, the only exhibition train on the UK rail network will arrive on the West Somerset Railway (WSR) for a five-day stay on November 24.
Launched in June, ‘Inspiration’ has visited a number of Britain’s heritage railways in recent months and will be on static display at Bishops Lydeard.
Co-curated by the National Railway Museum, it showcases ground-breaking innovations in railway history and offers hands-on activities to explore the science and engineering behind the railways.
The exhibition also encourages people to consider a career in rail to shape the next 200 years.
Admission to the train will be free but tickets should be booked in advance from WSR via its website or by calling 01643 704996 (Monday to Friday).
In addition to ‘Inspiration’, the Gauge Museum at Bishops Lydeard station will be open to visitors with exhibits including the Great Western Railway sleeping car, beautifully restored by the West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust (WSRHT) as part of its heritage carriages project.
The WSRHT will be welcoming school groups - it performs outreach work in conjunction with the West Somerset Railway Association.
A large heated marquee will welcome visitors and will include a pop-up cafe and shop, the latter offering an opportunity to buy a Christmas gift or souvenir.
On November 25 and 28, a special shuttle train will operate between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard stations.
Travel on this is free but is only available for holders of tickets to visit the ‘Inspiration’ train.
This will be the start of the WSR’s programme of festive trains, details of which can be found online.
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