‘Brilliant’ and free exhibition train heads to Scarborough for final stop of tour
An exhibition inside a train that’s packed with amazing stories and interactive fun is making the final stop of its highly popular tour in Scarborough.
More than 80,000 people have explored the free-to-visit Railway 200 exhibition train on its 60-stop, year-long tour of Britain, and 9 in 10 would recommend it to a friend.
Co-curated with the National Railway Museum and called Inspiration, it uses rare artefacts and fascinating facts 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.
Inspiration will be at Scarborough station from Saturday June 20 to Monday June 22, hosted by TransPennine Express
Inspiration was visited by thousands of people during visits to other North East locations, like Darlington, York and Locomotion museum in Shildon.
Visitors have described Inspiration as “unique”, “extremely interesting” and “really well curated”.
Tara Jones Ulla was one of 2,000 visitors to Inspiration at the West Somerset Railway in November 2025. She described it as “brilliant”, adding: “It was so informative without being overwhelming, with lots of interactive and hands on exhibits. I came away so happy!”
Michael Wilson, who visited in London Paddington, said: “The whole thing was well thought out. The interactive exhibits were brilliant and my children loved it.”
Local schools will be invited for bespoke tours.
Inspiration is part of Railway 200, the national celebration marking two centuries of the modern railway. Thousands of events during 2025 celebrated a British innovation that revolutionised travel, supercharged economies and enabled mass tourism, sports leagues and the standardisation of time.
Andrew McClements, Customer Experience & Transformation Director at TransPennine Express, said: “We’re proud to host the Railway 200 exhibition train on its final stop in Scarborough. This is a special opportunity for customers and the local community to experience a unique and engaging exhibition that celebrates the history and future of the railway.
“We’re excited to help mark the end of its journey and give as many people as possible the chance to visit.”
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.
“It’s incredible to think that after more than 60 stops, this will be the very last stop on Inspiration’s tour.
“The exhibition train has already travelled thousands of miles across Britain – from Scotland to Southampton – and we are hugely excited to welcome locals aboard in Scarborough for the final stop on its tour.”
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.”
Inspiration tours until June 2026. It was supported by a £250,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Porterbrook funded its eye-catching livery.
Tickets are free and are expected to book up fast due to the end-of-tour festivities. Book here.