LNER Celebrates National Railway Museum’s 50th Birthday with Special Livery on InterCity 225 Train from Leeds, York, and London King’s Cross

Thursday, July 10, 2025

LNER Marks National Railway Museum’s 50th Birthday with Special Livery on InterCity 225 train from Leeds, York, and London King’s Cross

LNER (London North Eastern Railway) unveiled a colorful new livery on one of its Class 91 locomotives to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the National Railway Museum (NRM). The one-off designed livery, which will grace the InterCity 225 train, celebrates the Golden Anniversary of the museum and the long-term collaboration between LNER and the NRM. The anniversary celebrations were initiated on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, with a launch event at the National Railway Museum, where the locomotive had its official unveiling.

The special livery, emblazoned with the wording ‘National Railway Museum 50 Years 1975-2025’, reflects on the rich history of the NRM. The train, which is a special edition, carries a number of iconic photos of classic locomotives, including the fabled Mallard and Duchess of Hamilton, besides a vibrant ribbon running all down both sides of the locomotive. This homage comes during a landmark moment in British railway history and joyously celebrates LNER’s contribution to bringing about the museum’s founding and existence.

A Historic Partnership Between LNER and National Railway Museum
LNER has had a special affiliation with the National Railway Museum for years, and both organizations have had a reciprocal admiration for each other’s rich railway transport history. This landmark 50th year celebration sees years of collaboration between the two, including them partnering on several occasions to commemorate key moments in railway history.

LNER’s class 43 HST power car, number 43038, sported ‘NRM – The First 10 Years’ lettering on it in 1985, to commemorate the museum’s early years. Once more, in 2015, when that very locomotive had ‘National Railway Museum 40 Years 1975-2015’ lettering done on it, that too, was part of yet another anniversary celebration. Such efforts reflect LNER’s continued interest in safeguarding and celebrating UK railway history.

Its latest addition to this legacy is Class 91 locomotive, no. 91105, which now proudly sports livery and name proclaiming National Railway Museum’s 50th birthday. Its number has, temporarily, been changed to ‘91150’ to commemorate that special anniversary. This locomotive will have high visibility when running on the East Coast Main Line, affording travelers a glimpse of a piece of railway history when they travel between Leeds, York, and London King’s Cross.

Unveiling of Livery at the National Railway Museum
There was a launch event held at the National Railway Museum that included major representatives of LNER, the museum, and Eversholt Rail, which underpins the train leasing arrangement with LNER. The vibrant livery was also installed on the train, in conjunction with Neville Hill depot, where maintenance of the fleet occurs.

David Horne, the Managing Director at LNER, expressed his pride in the launch, stating, “We are so proud to unveil this special livery to celebrate a major milestone in the history of the National Railway Museum, which is unquestionably a railway institution. LNER has a relationship with the NRM that goes back many years, and we look forward to seeing this commemorative livery on the network.”

Its livery and nameplate were unveiled at the National Railway Museum on 8 July 2025, where the locomotive will stay on display on the turntable until Thursday, 10 July 2025. Following its stay in museum display, the locomotive will commence its normal service on the East Coast Main Line, joining major cities including Leeds, York, and London King’s Cross.

Craig Bentley, Director of the National Railway Museum, shared his excitement at the partnership: “We are thrilled to see LNER mark the National Railway Museum’s 50th birthday with this vibrant livery. Our long-standing relationship with LNER is something we truly value, and in the railway’s bicentenary year, it feels especially fitting that our own anniversary will be celebrated and seen by thousands of passengers out on the network.”

The Significance of the Anniversary This unique livery constitutes a valuable recognition of both the National Railway Museum and LNER, two bodies that have defined the history of UK rail transport. So far, during the course of the last five decades, the museum has facilitated almost 40 million visitors, who have had a unique opportunity to see the great railway history by way of exhibitions, interactive exhibits, and iconic locomotives such as Flying Scotsman and Mallard, which were originally designed by the original LNER.

Its 50th anniversary celebrations are also part of the wider Railway 200 celebrations, which are commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway. This twin celebration helps highlight once again the ongoing importance of rail transport to UK cultural and industrial history. As LNER continues throughout its near 1,000-mile route, millions of people, it’s fitting that the history of both museum and railway will, in such high-profile style, be commemorated.

The Future of LNER and Railway Heritage

In the future, LNER remains at the heart of Britain’s railway network, emphasizing innovation and customer care. Its latest-generation Azuma fleet, drawing on LNER’s rich history, is already raising standards in comfort, reliability, and customer satisfaction. LNER’s fleet runs throughout the East Coast Main Line, joining key towns and cities between London, the East Midlands, Yorkshire, the North East of England, and Scotland.

Marking its 50-year collaboration with the National Railway Museum, LNER is solidifying its dedication to both safeguarding Britain’s railway heritage and helping shape the future of rail travel. With almost 24 million customers annually riding on its services, LNER stands ready to continue its leadership position in the railway sector, offering a modern and historic experience for customers throughout the UK.

Key Takeaways:

LNER unveils special livery on its Class 91 loco to mark National Railway Museum’s 50th anniversary.

The train will run on the East Coast Main Line, joining Leeds, York, and London King’s Cross.

There are also special edition liveries which incorporate iconic museum collection items, including Mallard and Duchess of Hamilton. LNER and the National Railway Museum have long cooperated, marking key milestones in the history of British railways. As the UK celebrates both the 50th anniversary of the National Railway Museum and the bicentenary of the modern railway, LNER’s commemorative livery serves as a reminder of the importance of rail heritage, both past and present.