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NATIONAL Railway Museum visitors can experience a Trainspotting adventure through the York museum’s annual autumn evening spectacular, Locos In A Different Light.

This week's free theatrical lighting showcase explores the drama of travelling the tracks and sneaking into engine sheds to cross off the final number on the list, as part of the Trainspotting season. From tonight until Saturday, visitors will make their way into the dark and atmospheric Great Hall to watch a selection of "spotter stories" from across Britain being brought to life with colour and lighting.

Now in its sixth year, Locos In A Different Light is an integral part of the city-wide Illuminating York festival and last year's four-day run attracted 10,000 people to see Mallard and its five sisters bathed in light.

This week’s event has been preceded by a competition last night), in which performing arts student teams from York College, Leeds City College, Gateway College, Leicester, Central School of Speech and Drama, London, the University of South Wales and Rose Bruford College, Kent, lit up a variety of steam and diesel locomotives. Each entrant had to tell an allocated spotter's story for judging by a panel of museum and lighting professionals, whose marking covered such categories as conservation, energy, and "object communication".

Past winners Rose Bruford won again with their illumination of a Class 31 locomotive while the York College students were the runners-up with their lighting of The Evening Star.

This annual competition is supported by lighting firms Pulsar and Ambersphere and has been a hit with performing arts students in previous years with many going on to bigger and brighter careers in stage lighting. Over the four-night showcase until Saturday, visitors have the chance to vote for the installation that most captures their imagination.

Rose Lindsay Smith, of the NRM, says: "With our Trainspotting season we're trying to challenge perceptions of the hobby, and making it the theme of our popular annual lighting event is a great way of shining a spotlight on the pastime. In previous years, our students have created a story using sound and visual effects; this year they have gone one better by creating an artistic interpretation of some real tales from the tracks."

Locos In A Different Light will be open from 6.30pm to 10pm each night, as will the Mallard café and shop. Parking and admission is free and there is no need to book. The Trainspotting season will run until March 1 next year and half-term activities at the NRM continue until Sunday. For more information visit www.nrm.org.uk/trainspotting