Network Rail has unveiled a new mobile railway exhibition as part of Railway 200, the cross-sector bicentenary campaign.
The exhibition sees the firm, in collaboration with creative agency Leith, reimagine four 1970s train carriages as a museum. It has 30 displays, curated by the National Railway Museum, including interactive labs and hands-on installations.
Ed Brooke, partner at Leith, said: “Britain’s railway history has powered everything from poetry to pioneering and progress, but it’s never had its own exhibition on rails. Until now.
”Alongside Network Rail, we wanted to build something that celebrates 200 years of engineering wonder in a way that moves you – literally and emotionally.”
The ‘Railway Firsts’ carriage highlights innovations in British rail since the invention of the modern railway 200 years ago, from Stephenson’s Rocket to the high-speed railway.
Children and adults can take on interactive engineering challenges in the Wonderlab on Wheels carriage. 
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The Your Railway Future carriage showcases real careers in the rail industry, roles that might not come to mind when you think of working in the sector, such as environmental strategists and drone operators.
The last section, the Partner Zone, is a flexible collaboration space for pop-ups and displays from national partners and local communities.
The activation aims to be accessible to everyone, making sure that all visitors, “regardless of age or ability, feel welcomed and inspired”.
It will tour the country for over a year, visiting 60 locations across the UK.
Emma Roberts, Programme Manager at Railway 200, added: “Railways are woven into the fabric of Britain, connecting communities, fuelling innovation, and shaping who we are as a nation. With ‘Inspiration’, we wanted to celebrate not just the last 200 years, but the stories, people, career opportunities, and progress that keeps rail moving forward.



