Come to Riverside and step inside a life-size replica driver’s cab of the brand new Nova 2 train by FirstGroup TransPennine Express. The child-friendly interactive display is based on a new state-of-the-art electric locomotive, set to be introduced on routes between Scotland and Northern England in 2020.

Leo Goodwin, TransPennine Express Managing Director, explained; ‘To build this faster, greener, electric train, engineers first had to make detailed drawings of what it might look like and how it would run. Then they conducted many tests to see if their ideas worked. This life-size replica cab was made to test the driver’s experience, comfort and safety and to see how the train’s exterior would look in real life.’

Riverside is home to Glasgow’s world famous transport and technology collection, including some notable locomotives from the 1900s. Having the Nova 2 train cab on show, representing the future of rail transport, keeps our collection current. What’s more not many people actually get to sit in the driver’s cab of a train, so the fully accessible interactive is expected to be popular, especially with younger visitors to the museum. Older ones can explore the vastly different conditions train drivers enjoy today, when contrasted with their compatriots who travelled up and down the country more than one hundred years ago.

The new ‘TransPennine Express at Riverside’ display is enhanced by a 360 degree view of the cab and flythrough of the new train’s interior, some technical information, images and links to other locomotives on display at Riverside and held in the city’s collection. It is located on the ground floor of the main hall, below the Infinite Velodrome display.