Train celebrating 200 years of British railways ‘is fitted with American whistle’

 An exhibition train travelling across the country to celebrate 200 years of British railways has been fitted with an American whistle, it has been claimed.

Nigel Wilson, a train enthusiast, told BBC Broadcasting House on Sunday he believed the Inspiration train has been fitted with an American-sounding whistle.

Host Paddy O’Connell asked Mr Wilson: “What is wrong with that hoot?”

Mr Wilson responded: “It sounded very American to me, the low tone and in particular the bells ringing in the background is something you hear in North American railways, not something here in the UK.

“It’s a bit of a shame that we have got a whistle from the other side of the Atlantic when we are celebrating the UK’s 200 years.”

Mr Wilson was speaking from a three-day event in Derby dubbed the “Glastonbury of railways”, at which the Inspiration was on display.

More than 40,000 steam train enthusiasts attended the event, which ran from Friday to Sunday.

The Inspiration’s year-long tour of Britain has been organised by Railway 200, the nationwide campaign to mark the anniversary, in partnership with the National Railway Museum.

The train will visit 60 locations along the way, and Railway 200 estimates more than 200,000 people, including many schoolchildren, will visit it.

After leaving Derby, the Inspiration will be on show to Norwich from Aug 7 to Aug 10 before heading south to Suffolk. The train’s 2026 schedule has yet to be announced.

The Stockton and Darlington Railway, the first steam train to transport passengers, officially launched on Sept 27 1825.

The launch of the Stockton and Darlington paved the way for the expansion of the railway network in both Britain and abroad.

On the bicentenary date, Inspiration will be at the Locomotion museum in Shildon, County Durham, which will also stage a recreation of the first steam-powered train journey.

Railway 200, Network Rail and the National Railway Museum were contacted for comment.