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Collections » Online Exhibitions » Shinkansen 'Bullet Train' exhibition » Shinkansen story

Shinkansen 'Bullet Train' exhibition

Shinkansen story

The Shinkansen Line opened from Tokyo to Osaka in 1964 operating with 12-car trains and initially running at a then revolutionary speed of 200 km/hour. It subsequently extended to connect many of Japan's main centres offering the speed and density of inter-city service the country required, but which could not be provided by the existing network. By 1972 top speeds had increased to 260 km/hour and today 11 trains each hour operate between Tokyo and Osaka at speeds of up to 270 km/hour. Between Osaka and Hakata trains operate up to 300 km/hour.

The Shinkansen set new standards in rail travel.and was arguably the most important breakthrough in rail technology since Rocket won the Rainhill Trials.  Instead of struggling within the confines of an essentially Victorian network like the rest of the world, the Japanese started from scratch and 'reinvented' the railway. If you consider that all of this was being built as British Railways were introducing their last steam locomotive, Evening Star, it helps to illustrate just how revolutionary their ideas were at the time.

The Shinkansen, which literally means 'new main line', has now carried more than three and a half billion people at speeds of up to 300km/hour with an unrivalled safety record. The concept of new special railways for high speed passenger transport has already spread across Europe and into America, Australia and Korea, where similar networks are planned.

A classic picture of a Series '0' Shinkansen with Mount Fuji in the background.
© JR-West

The idea of a Bullet Train coming to the NRM was first mooted when the NRM twinned with JR-West's Modern Transportation Museum in Osaka in April 2000. The outline idea was followed up during the British Department of Trade and Industry mission in 2000 to investigate rail safety procedures in Japan. The delegation was led by Professor Rod Smith, former Chairman of the Advanced Railway Research Centre in Sheffield, President of the Japanese Railway Society and now Head of Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College, London.

The 82 feet long leading car was built in 1976 as part of a fleet of high-speed trains. Car No. 22-141 was withdrawn from service in October 2000, one of the last of the first series of cars in service, and was offered to the NRM by West Japan Railways (JR-West).

Car 22-141arrives at Southampton Docks © National Railway Museum

JR-West's generous offer was accepted by the NRM and detailed plans were made to transport this historic vehicle to York. This turned out to be a complex logistical operation involving many people and organisations in both Japan and Britain. 

The NRM wishes to express it's sincere thanks to the generosity of our sponsoring organisations and over 5,000 Japanese people who made individual contributions.

Car 22-141arrives at the NRM © National Railway Museum