An exhibition inside a train that celebrates two centuries of the modern railway stopped off at Newquay Train Station this week.

When the train arrived in the town on Monday, April 6, local visitors of all ages have had the opportunity to go on a journey of discovery exploring the railway’s past, present and future. Hosted by Great Western Railway, this is the train’s only stop it will be making in Cornwall.

Co-curated with the National Railway Museum and packed full of interactive exhibits and fascinating stories, ‘Inspiration’ reveals how railways transformed the world.

Sporting an eye-catching livery, it includes a fascinating look at railway firsts, hands-on engineering challenges and a whistle-stop tour of interesting and lesser-known careers on the railways.

Inspiration is part of Railway 200, the national campaign celebrates 200 years of the modern railway, helping to attract the next generation of pioneering talent. The concept was inspired by the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825, a journey that changed the world forever.

The exhibition train has created a buzz of interest at mainline stations, heritage railways and rail freight sites all over the UK, with more than 60,000 people already visiting Inspiration on its 60-stop, year-long tour of Britain.

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.

Lee Goodson, GWR station manager for West Cornwall, said: “We’re excited to be hosting the Railway 200 Inspiration train at Newquay station. It’s obvious it has really captured the imagination since the beginning of its tour.”

The Railway 200 exhibition train tours until June 2026. It was supported by a £250,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Porterbrook funded its livery.