18 June 2025
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The National Railway Museum has built a growing collection of 25 contemporary objects as work progresses towards a major new permanent exhibition, Railway Futures: The Porterbrook Gallery.
Image credit: Central Hall internal - Feilden Fowles
The gallery will form part of the museum’s new Central Hall building, due to be complete in 2027, and has been made possible by a £2.5 million partnership with Porterbrook.
Exploring how railways are shaping society, technology and the environment, Railway Futures reflects the museum’s growing commitment to telling the story of rail’s past, present and future.
The items, which represent cutting-edge innovation within the sector, have been sourced from a variety of donors, including start-ups, multinational rail companies, public and private sector organisations, academic institutions and even space agencies.
Through these objects, interactive exhibits, case studies, and first-hand stories from rail professionals and communities, visitors will be encouraged to reflect on what matters most to them and how innovation could support a better railway.
The first exhibit to be confirmed is the groundbreaking fuel cell from HydroFLEX; the pathfinding heavy-rail hydrogen passenger train developed and tested by Porterbrook.
With a particular focus on 15- to 25-year-olds, the gallery will encourage creativity and critical thinking, inviting young people to consider their hopes for the future and how the railways might help to realise them.
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