Exhibition 200 Train

The birth of the modern passenger railway can be traced back to 1825, with the opening of the Stockton & Darlington line in County Durham. Many events have been organised this year to commemorate the bi-centenary and I was determined to catch Inspiration - an exhibition train currently touring the UK (until March 2026). Curated in conjunction with the National Railway Museum, entry tickets are free although a timeslot must be booked in advance. The aim is to showcase ground-breaking railway firsts, along with science, engineering and cultural themes. Many exhibits are family-friendly and there is also a carriage dedicated to career prospects. The most convenient date for me was in Glasgow and I took a bus through on a Saturday morning and walked down to the Central Station.

The train was docked on a main platform and the engine was named Michael Portillo, after the former government minister who has carved out a successful post-political career presenting Great British Railway Journeys on the BBC. A total of 16 series has been completed. I waited in line until I could enter the first carriage and studied some of the landmark facts painted on the metalwork. The Channel Tunnel was completed in 1994. Onboard wi-fi arrived in 2003. Construction of HS2 began in 2020, although that's a thorny issue. I stepped into the rear coach and started shuffling my way forward. The exhibition was very busy and - as expected - many kids were present. My eye was drawn to a familiar photograph - Linlithgow Station in 1845, the oldest known Scottish railway image. I had seen another copy at a recent event within Stirling Castle. Railway themes run through popular fiction. Examples are Harry Potter, Thomas the Tank Engine, A Bear Called Paddington, Murder on the Orient Express and of course The Railway Children. All of these publications were successfully filmed. A direct freight link with China was established in 2017. It took 18 days to complete the journey of almost 7500 miles and the 34 containers passed through seven countries. The first railway to link two major cities was the double-track Liverpool & Manchester in 1830. It featured full timetabling, proper signalling and no horse-drawn traffic was permitted. The expanding network obviously changed the ability of people to move around the country beyond all recognition, but these new transport corridors were also used to carry telegraph and - later - telephone infrastructure, allowing information to be instantly relayed across the nation. Railway operations themselves have always taken advantage of new technology developments. Real-time train updates were introduced at principal stations in 1974.