Next Stop: The Future! Exhibition Celebrates Young Imagination and Rail Innovation

Children were invited to imagine a future inspired by the past, with a challenge to design inventions that could travel along disused railway lines or dream up their ideal train carriage. The response was extraordinary: over 500 imaginative entries were submitted by young people across eight countries.

From these, five exceptional ideas were selected to be turned into real-life models by expert makers, celebrating the power of children's creativity when combined with professional design and fabrication.

Craig Bright, our General Manager here at Little Inventors, said:

The creativity and imagination shown by these young inventors has been truly inspiring. It’s incredible to see their ideas transformed into real-life prototypes – proof that the next generation is ready to dream big and innovate.

Harry (11) from St Paul’s Catholic Primary School, Stockton imagined an Aquarium Train, where carriages are replaced by tanks filled with marine life. He proclaimed:

There’s fish and sharks in there – there might be an octopus. You can travel to the darkest bits of Britain and gaze upon the stars.

Evan (9), from Nunthorpe Primary Academy, Middlesbrough, heard about the challenge during a visit to the museum. His design, the Star Gazer, is a mobile observatory train designed for stargazing in the darkest parts of the country. He said:

I was shocked to win. You can travel to the darkest bits of Britain and gaze upon the stars.

Favour (11) from Bowesfield Primary School, Stockton created Cinema on Wheels, inspired by the idea of bringing the big screen to those who might not otherwise have access. She exclaimed:

I was very excited to win. It is for people who live in the country who don't normally get to see movies.

Libby (11), also from St Paul’s, focused on sustainability with her invention The Seed Planter 2000, which highlights the role of trains in restoring nature. She enthused:

We made the design at school and I didn’t really expect it to be picked. I was impressed and shocked to see it made.

From further afield, winners of the international section of the challenge competition were Alexis, Ariana, and Hayley from Somerset Academy in Markham, Canada, who contributed their imaginative design Camp-Star. Here’s a short video capturing the wonderful moment the girls found out they’d been selected as winners. Huge thanks to Andy Liang for beautifully filming the moment, and to Jyothy Mathur, STEM Coordinator at Somerset Academy, for hosting the event with her signature warmth and enthusiasm. None of this would have been possible without her dedication and support.

The young inventors’ ideas were expertly crafted into physical prototypes by a team of professional makers, including Stuart Palmer, Craig Fox of Foxworks Engineering, and Orbital FX, with creative support from students at The Northern School of Art.

Niccy Halifax, Festival Director for S&DR200, praised the project:

This challenge has captured the essence of what S&DR200 is all about – celebrating innovation and inspiring future generations. These inventions are not only fun and imaginative, but they also remind us of the power of creativity used in all walks of life, to shape all our futures. Just as in 1825, partnership and collaboration remain key when facing new challenges.

Visit the Exhibition

Next Stop: The Future! runs at Preston Park Museum’s Spence Building until April 2026. The Spence Building, part of a multi-million-pound investment in the museum, opened in September and features All Aboard! - an interactive playscape that brings railway history to life through hands-on exploration.

The exhibition is part of a broader programme funded by Darlington Council, Durham County Council, and Stockton Council, with major support from Arts Council England, Tees Valley Combined Authority, North East Combined Authority, and The National Heritage Lottery Fund. Corporate partners include LNER, Hitachi, Amazon UK, Caswell’s, and Hampton Hilton.