LNER and the National Railway Museum focus on the future of rail in the next 200 years

Thursday, October 24, 2024

LNER and the National Railway Museum are asking young people to share their ideas of what the next 200 years of rail could look like.

Two special competitions looking into the future have been launched in advance of the bicentenary of the railway, with ‘money can’t buy’ prizes up for grabs.

Children can design a potential rail uniform for the future and share their ideas of what a train could look like in the years to come.

Youngsters up to the age of 11 are being asked to share their ideas of what kinds of uniforms people that work on the railway could be wearing in the future, both for current roles and any new jobs that may be created as a result of innovations within the industry.

The winner will see their design being made-to-measure for them by LNER’s uniform supplier, Dimensions, as well as receiving First Class LNER tickets for them and their family.

For those aged 12 to 17, there’s a chance to visualise a train of the future, including designing the interior and exterior, as well as considering the practicalities of building the train.

The winner will enjoy an exclusive experience with LNER’s world-class Azuma trains, including a journey in a driver’s cab, and a visit to the driving simulator where LNER drivers-to-be are put through their paces. The winner will also receive First Class LNER tickets for themselves and their family.

Those entering are encouraged to consider the many ways both the railway and the wider world will change over the next 200 years. Designs should showcase how they can meet the needs of LNER’s customers, people, places on the route, and the planet.

The competition is being held as part of the Railway 200 programme. 2025 marks the bicentenary of the first passenger journey on the Stockton and Darlington railway – widely regarded as the birth of the modern railway.

Railway 200 is a year-long nationwide campaign to celebrate railway history and inspire a new generation of talent to choose a career in rail.

Linda Wain, Engineering Director at LNER, said: “At LNER we are always looking towards the future, exploring how our trains can be more sustainable and how we can continually improve journeys for our customers.

This competition is a great opportunity to see how young people see rail evolving. We’re excited to see some brilliant designs and interesting ideas and we may even discover some future rail engineers in the making!”

Andrew McLean, Assistant Director and Head Curator of the National Railway Museum, said:
“The National Railway Museum is not only engaged in recording and showcasing our rich railway history, but we also aim to inspire the next generation of innovators and engineers.

We look forward to seeing the creative designs and ideas that this competition generates as we look forward to the next 200 years of the railways.”

The competition will run until Friday 13 December 2024, when a panel of judges from LNER and the National Rail Museum will choose the winners. Important information on how to enter and tips can be found

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