20 January 2026 •
- Inspiration, the free, family-friendly exhibition train arrives in Upminster on Monday
- Explore 200 years of history, tackle hands-on engineering challenges and peek at the railway jobs of the future
- A few tickets are still available here
There is just a week to go until an exhibition inside a train packed with interactive fun and amazing stories arrives at c2c’s Upminster station.
More than 60,000 people have visited Inspiration, the free exhibition train on a 60-stop, year-long tour of Britain. It’s been described as “brilliant”, “fun” and “educational”, and nine in 10 would recommend it to a friend.
Richard Jones visited with his nephews in Llandudno and described it as “fantastic”. He added: “There were so many exciting activities – we all loved it!”
Inspiration is co-curated by the National Railway Museum and Railway 200, the national campaign celebrating 200 years of the modern railway. It reveals how railways shaped the world and includes a fascinating look at railway firsts, hands-on engineering challenges and a whistle stop tour of some of the interesting – and lesser-known – careers available on our railways.
It visits Upminster station from Monday 26 January until Friday 30 January, hosted by c2c. On 19 January there were still a few tickets left.
It has already been visited by thousands of people at London Euston, Paddington and Victoria.
c2c’s Operations & Safety Director, Stuart Browning, said:
“c2c is delighted to be welcoming Inspiration to Upminster station next week, and we look forward to sharing the many historical and fascinating stories of our railway and route with visitors.“Through a range of presentations, memorabilia, artefacts, pictures, promotional materials and historic records, all available to see on the special four-carriage train, Inspiration will tell our story from the days of LTS Rail through to c2c.“There are still a few places remaining, so book yours today and make sure you don’t miss out!”
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.
“Inspiration has already travelled thousands of miles across Britain – from Scotland to Southampton – and we are hugely excited to welcome locals aboard in Upminster.”
Railway 200 celebrates two centuries since Stephenson’s Locomotion No. 1 steamed along the Stockton and Darlington Railway. The journey changed our world forever: supercharging economies and enabling tourism, mass migration, diet changes and even the standardisation of time.
To find out more and book tickets, visit the Railway 200 website.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
About c2c
- c2c is the award-winning train operator running services between Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness, serving 26 stations in East London and South Essex.
- c2c is one of the UK’s most punctual and popular train operators and nearly 37.3 million journeys are made on its services every year.
- The operation of all c2c services transferred into public ownership on Sunday 20 July 2025 and is managed by DFTO (DfT Operator Ltd).
- For more information email mediaenquiries@c2crail.net
About Railway 200
2025 marked the 200th anniversary of the modern railway, inspired by the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825, a journey that changed the world forever. Under the banner of Railway 200, nationwide celebrations took place throughout 2025, showcasing how the railway shaped Britain and the world and how its pioneering pedigree continues today and is shaping tomorrow. The Railway 200 exhibition train Inspiration tours until June 2026.
About the National Railway Museum and Locomotion
- The National Railway Museum in York has the largest collection of railway objects in the world and is the most visited free attraction in the region. It celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025.
- Locomotion hosts the largest undercover collection of historic railway vehicles in Europe, showcasing highlights of the national collection of railway vehicles in Shildon – the world’s first railway town.
- The National Railway Museum in York and Locomotion in County Durham form part of the Science Museum Group.
- Admission to both museums is free and visitors are encouraged to book in advance, visit: www.railwaymuseum.org.uk and www.locomotion.org.uk
Images:
Featured Image – c2c and Railway 200 Inspiration Train at Upminster