At Kidderminster Town station on Friday 27 June, the Severn Valley Railway will host the debut of a free and unique railway experience as part of the year-long, national celebrations for Railway 200, the 200th birthday of the modern railway.

Inspiration is a fascinating and interactive touring exhibition train that tells the story of the past, present and future of Britain’s railways. Limited adult and child tickets are available from Friday 27 until Sunday 29 June as well as Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 July. Tickets are free, but time slots must be pre-booked, and a small booking fee will apply.

‘It’s wonderful that the Severn Valley Railway is the first venue in the country for this unforgettable event,’ said SVR managing director Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster. ‘We know that it’s going to be a massive attraction for families and people of all ages, and we’re proud to host it at Kidderminster Town station as part of our 10-day celebration of Railway 200. This is definitely something you don’t want to miss!’

The exhibition train Inspiration will appear in a specially commissioned one-off livery and visitors will be able to hop on board to experience a voyage of discovery alongside the platform at Kidderminster Town station.

The Railway Firsts carriage will chart the big moments in the last 200 years, journeying back in time to piece together the story of railway that actually started with the ancient Greeks. Visitors will be able to discover rail’s influence on everything we take for granted from the places we go, the jobs we do, the films we see and even the time on the clock.

There’ll be a Wonderlab on wheels, providing an unmissable, interactive family experience where you can test out your scientific and engineering skills.

And you can find out about some of the more surprising careers there are on the railway today, from saving the planet and making videos, to using coding skills and applying ecological knowledge to protect wildlife across the railway network.

As well as being open to the public on five days of its 10-stay at the SVR, Inspiration will also welcome hundreds of children on school trips between Monday 30 June and Friday 4 July.

On Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 July, Inspiration will form part of the SVR’s Railway 200: Trains through the Ages weekend. The intensively-timetabled event will feature a host of rolling stock from all eras, including the iconic steam engine Tornado, as well as HydroFLEX, the latest in cutting edge rail technology, the SVR’s Autotrain and many other steam and heritage diesel locomotives.

Book free tickets for the Inspiration exhibition train at svr.co.uk. Please note, these tickets do not include travel on the SVR, which is payable separately.

Tickets for Railway 200: Trains through the Ages on 5 and 6 July are available here.