Walk Through the VLRNIC with an In-Depth Look at Family Day

In mid-September, BCIMO were delighted to formally announce their celebration of the Railway 200 anniversary with a Family Day – both to welcome a range of visitors from the local community and the rail community to the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre, and to raise money for four very special charities – so here’s the latest update from the busy team making it all happen.

2025 will be a very special year for the rail community, as organisations throughout the country host a broad range of events to celebrate two centuries since the first service began operating up in the North East. The industry has come a long way since, literally some 170 miles south to establish a presence in Dudley twenty-five years later with the construction of Dudley station, the Station bridge and the famous Dudley Rail Tunnel. And then, almost 125 years further on, the opening of the VLRNIC which, through its work at the cutting edge of innovation within the sector, has become home to the future of rail, with reach across the UK and beyond its borders.

As such, the BCIMO Family Day is an opportunity not just to celebrate the role of rail in our national history, but the role of Dudley rail in its community and, for those coming along, the celebrations offer something for everyone, with plenty to see and do throughout the day across the entirety of the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre site.

‘Ticket Office (South)’, where visitors will check in, will be at the VLRNIC’s landmark main entrance, so under the red sign, through reception and into the vast Exhibition Hall, which will house a busy ‘Market Square’ of stalls, including handmade gifts and crafts, alongside rail memorabilia. To the left is the Auditorium which, on Family Day, will be home to ‘Discovery Point’, with stands from visitor attractions and organisations, including Dudley Zoo, Crich Tramway Village and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre and, of course, the four charities: Kaleidoscope, Railway Children, 4Louis and Young Lives vs. Cancer. ‘Presentation Platform’ will also be here, with hourly talks and activities, including on the history and future of rail, a children’s entertainer, introductions to the charities and the raffle prize draw.

Also on the upper level will be ‘Choo Choo Corner’, two meeting rooms housing a selection of model railway exhibits from local and regional clubs, including Cradley Heath Model Railway Club and West Midlands Narrow Gauge Group; and ‘Driver’s Depot’, where visitors will have the opportunity to ‘drive’ a very light rail vehicle, either on the VLRNIC test track or a regional city scape, on the Centre’s Transport Systems Simulator. The team have also confirmed this week that PoweredByCAN will also be hosting an arts and crafts space for children, and there will, of course, be facilities available as needed throughout the building, including for baby changing.

For visitors arriving at the rear of the VLRNIC, there will be a further entrance at ‘Ticket Office (North)’; and this will also an in/out for visitors to ‘Luncheon Junction’ on the Centre’s upper car park, which will offer a broad range of hot and cold, sweet and savoury food and drinks from Skyline Catering and Savva Bars. Back into the site, the lower car park will be home to ‘Ride Central (North)’, with fairground rides and attractions; with a walk beside the Centre, along the Rail Development & Test Site, taking visitors to ‘Ride Central (South)’. From here, they can catch a vehicle – more details on this coming soon! – along the Track and through the Tunnel, down to ‘Turnaround Terminus’ and back again. While they’re waiting to join the ride, entertainment will be at ‘Showtime Station’, with hourly performances from dance schools, brass and music bands, including Black Country Brass, cadet and scout groups, and even robot dogs from NextGenRi!

Visitor tickets are on sale now through BCIMO’s Eventbrite page, with family tickets available and under 2s free, so if you’re passionate about all things ‘rail’, live locally and want a fun day out with the family, then you can book now. The team are also looking for volunteers on the day, so if you’d like to help out, click on the Get Involved link on the BCIMO Family Day webpage.

So, how else can you help?

Are you a photographer, videographer – such as eleven10creative, who are already supporting the event – drone operator, podcaster or social media content creator, who would like to create content for and at the event; or a confident speaker with a passion for either the history or future of rail, a performing arts school, brass/music band or cadet group, who would like to speak or perform? Individuals and organisations will receive in-kind sponsorship benefits (see the sponsorship note below).

Are you a local, regional or national media organisation who would like to help promote Family Day, both in the run up to, during and after the day; or a small local business selling high-quality creative gift ideas or unique handmade crafts, or a larger organisation / visitor attraction wishing to have a stall / stand in ‘Market Square’ and ‘Discovery Point’?

And finally, if you’re a local, regional or national organisation, the team have developed a series of sponsorship and donation packages, including opportunities for promotion on the BCIMO Family Day website page, social media platforms, press and via media partners, on digital display screens on the day and in the e-programme, plus an exclusive offer to have the organisation’s logo on the Centre’s T69 former Midland Metro tram.

If you want to help in any of these ways, click on the Get Involved link on the BCIMO Family Day webpage.

Andrea Hales, Marketing Manager at Dudley Zoo, said:

“Dudley Zoo & Castle are delighted to be able to support the BCIMO’s family day on 17th May with our outreach team attending the event. As close neighbours, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to work together and look forward to meeting visitors to this action-packed day.”

Amanda Blair, Marketing & Business Development Manager at Crich Tramway Village, said:

“Crich Tramway Village is delighted to be supporting and attending BCIMO’s special event as part of the ‘Railway 200’ celebrations, on Saturday 17th May 2025 at the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre. The funds will go towards some very worthy charities.”

Holly Parker-Millington, Commercial and Events Co-ordinator at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre said:

“We are delighted to be joining BCIMO for their Family Fun Day in May and we are looking forward to the celebrations of 200 years of train travel. All profits on the day go to very special charities, and as the Grand Theatre is also a charity, we understand how important the success of these days is.”

Calum Nisbet, CEO of Kaleidoscope Plus Group, said:

“Kaleidoscope Plus Group is thrilled to have been chosen as one of the charity beneficiaries for BCIMO’s Family Day. As a charity we are committed to promoting mental health and wellbeing and are looking forward to being part of this incredible event celebrating innovation, heritage and community togetherness.”

Louise Thornton, Corporate Partnerships Manager at Railway Children, said:

“Railway Children has such a special relationship with the UK rail industry, without which we would not have been able to change as many young lives as we have over the years. We are delighted to be selected as one BCIMO’s chosen charities for this event, through which we will be able support vulnerable children alone and at risk on the streets and at transport hubs.”

Paula Parnaby, Admin Officer at 4Louis, said:

“4Louis are delighted to be part of the BCIMO Family Day. We think it’s a great idea to provide a fun day that families can enjoy, while raising money for 4 very worthy charities. 4Louis can only continue to support bereaved families due to fundraising such as this. We’re extremely grateful to be involved.”

Rachel Kelly, Fundraising Engagement Manager – West Midlands and North Wales at Young Lives vs Cancer, said:

“Being part of the Family Day on the 17th means so much to Young Lives vs Cancer, the charity dedicated to helping children and young people with cancer. The support at this event will help raise vital awareness and funds that directly impact their lives. Together, we can ensure they receive the care, resources, and hope they need during the most challenging times. Thank you for being part of this important mission.”

Dave Stringfellow, Secretary at Cradley Heath Model Railway Club, said:

“Cradley Heath Model Railway Club are pleased to accept the invitation to participate with the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre in their Family Day. We recognise the importance of local groups coming together to present jointly to the public the importance of rail communication in all its forms both regionally and nationally, in the past and the future.”

Leah Anderson, Service Coordinator at Powered by CAN, said:

“At Powered by CAN, we put our community first, developing young people, as well as the worlds around them and the worlds they build. As a youth organisation covering the Black Country, we are excited to be a part of the BCIMO Family Day. We want to empower young people from the region to feel the same pride and purpose for their community as we do, and being involved in this event is a great opportunity to do so!”

Tom Luxton, Secretary of Black Country Brass, said:

“Being part of this special Family Day to celebrate 200 years of train travel is a true honour for Black Country Brass. Supporting such meaningful charities—The Kaleidoscope Plus Group, Railway Children, 4Louis, and Young Lives vs. Cancer—aligns perfectly with our mission to bring communities together through music while making a difference. We’re proud to contribute to this historic and heartfelt event!”

James Brown, Managing Director of NextGen Ri, said:

“At NextGen Ri, we’re proud to support the BCIMO Family Fun Day, celebrating 200 years of railway history and innovation in the perfect setting to bring this legacy to life. This day is special to us because it’s about giving back to incredible charities while celebrating the progress and ingenuity that define the railway’s past, present, and future. We’re especially excited to bring along our amazing robot dogs. They’ll be there to show off their tricks and abilities. Don’t miss the chance to enjoy some fun, interactive experiences with them, and of course, snap a selfie or two.”

Steve Watson, owner at eleven10creative, said:

“Having partnered with BCIMO on branding and videography since its inception in 2020, we were delighted to be asked to support them for this very special event, both on the day and in producing a highlights video afterwards, and we look forward to what we know will be a fantastic day for very worthy causes.”

For more information on BCIMO or the VLRNIC, please visit the BCIMO website or click Contact Us to make an enquiry / sign up to our mailing list.