LNER in partnership with Eversholt Rail is marking the 50^th anniversary of the National Railway Museum with a striking new livery on one of its InterCity 225 trains.

Named ‘National Railway Museum 50 Years 1975-2025’, the Class 91 locomotive celebrates the Golden Anniversary and the long-standing partnership between LNER, Eversholt Rail and the National Railway Museum.

Throughout the years, there have been other similar train namings marking significant moments in the museum’s history. In 1985, Class 43 HST power car, no. 43038, was named ‘NRM – The First 10 Years’.

The same loco was renumbered 43238 and, in 2015, it received the name ‘National Railway Museum 40 Years 1975-2015’ in a ceremony with Paul Kirkman, then Director of the NRM, and David Horne who is now the Managing Director of LNER.

Featuring a colourful ribbon that runs across both sides of the locomotive and some of the most well-known objects in the museum’s collection, including Mallard and Duchess of Hamilton, the special livery was unveiled at an event at the National Railway Museum on Tuesday 8 July 2025.

It will remain on display on the turntable at the museum until Thursday 10 July 2025. After departing the NRM, the locomotive will soon be seen powering up and down the East Coast Main Line, carrying thousands of LNER customers between Leeds, York and London King’s Cross.

David Horne, Managing Director at LNER, said: “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. Some of the most significant locomotives and artefacts in its collection, such as Flying Scotsman and Mallard, were created by the original LNER following its inception over a century ago.

“Today, LNER carries close to 24 million customers each year across a near 1,000-mile route, and we can’t wait to see this commemorative livery out on the network.”

Craig Bentley, Director of the National Railway Museum said: “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. We’ve welcomed almost 40 million visitors over the past five decades, and we hope this will inspire many more to visit during this landmark year.”

LNER has worked in partnership with Eversholt Rail and the team at Neville Hill depot, which maintains the fleet, to apply the special livery and celebrate this milestone birthday.

Steve Timothy, Stakeholder Director at Eversholt Rail, said: “We have a long-established relationship with both the National Railway Museum and LNER so are delighted to be supporting this new livery for our Class 91 locomotive to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the NRM.”

The livery and name plate has been applied to locomotive no. 91105. Its number has temporarily changed to ‘91150’ to mark this special anniversary.

Picture courtesy of LNER