Railway 200: Celebrating railroading’s bicentennial

In 2025, the United Kingdom is celebrating Railway 200, marking the bi-centenary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, which opened for service on Sept. 27, 1825. More than just an historical commemoration, Railway 200 is a great public awareness campaign encompassing dozens of separately organized events across the UK and beyond aiming to entertain, educate and inspire awareness about the nation’s railroads past, present and future. For a general overview and list of participants and events visit https://railway200.co.uk

The invention of the steam engine and the conception of the modern railway rank among Britain’s great contributions to the world. Located in the northeast of England, the Stockton & Darlington Railway was an evolutionary milestone. It is widely acknowledged as paving the way for the explosive growth of the industry by successfully blending several crucial elements of railroading, including parliamentary charter, public commercial operation of long trains carrying freight and passenger traffic, trains hauled by reciprocating steam locomotives, the use of wrought iron edge rails, plus significant railroad business practices. 

Among the planned festivals is the 9-month S&DR200 organized by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. This will run from the end of March through November and features free outdoor events and exhibitions, as well as art exhibitions and creative displays focused on the early operation of the Stockton & Darlington in County Durham. 

Also in northeastern England, the National Railway Museum at York and its affiliated Locomotion Railway Museum at Shildon are planning a variety of events this year. Both feature extensive collections of railroad rolling stock. The latter will be displaying three of the world’s earliest locomotives, including George Stephenson’s Locomotion No. 1 of 1825, deemed the first steam locomotive to work a public railway. The museum’s New Hall is focused on the region’s instrumental roles in early railroad development, especially significant since S&DR’s shops were located at Shildon, lending the town the significance as the world’s first railway town.

Among the preserved railways in the northeast participating in this year’s celebration is the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, which is centered on Grosmont Station. On select dates in May, it will be running the Railway 200 North Yorkshire Pullman, which is a plush train using 1960s railcars to offer a high-end classic dining experience. While in the United States ‘Pullman’ was large associated with overnight sleeping cars, in the UK Pullman trains offered more luxurious rail travel. 

Based north of Manchester at Bury, the East Lancashire Railway will host its Legends of Steam event on March 14-16. Among the locomotives expected is the famed Pacific type Tornado owned by the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust. This fully operational replica of the LNER Peppercorn Class was completed in 2008. 

In the south, the Mid Hants Railway, known as the Watercress Line, has a series of excursions planned in March centered around the return to service of Bullied Pacific Canadian Pacific. Acclaimed railroad equipment designer Oliver Bullied is perhaps best known for his engines built for the Southern Railway; among these were the three-cylinder Merchant Navy Class 4-6-2s, of which Canadian Pacific is among the surviving serviceable examples. The Launch Train and Inaugural Dinner Trains are scheduled for March 20th.

The famed Welsh narrow gauge Ffestiniog & Welsh Highlands Railway has combined the Railway200 celebrations with commemoration of its 70th anniversary of excursions on its preserved railway. On the weekend of June 20-22, it will host the Railway200-FR Platinum Jubilee Weekend, an event that will culminate with its 200 Wheels on the Cob exhibition of narrow gauge locomotives displayed on the iconic Cob embankment. 

Great Central Railway, Britain’s only double-track heritage railroad, is hosting its Railway200 Open Weekend on July 5th & 6th. 

Among England’s most popular heritage railways is the Severn Valley, which operates 16 miles of a former Great Western Railway secondary route from a connection with the National network at Kidderminster and Bridgnorth. It celebrates 60 years of service this year, and among the events planned are its Steam Galas on April 18-21 and September 18-21, plus a Spring Diesel Festival held May 15-18. 

In the southwest, West Somerset Railway has its Spring Steam Spectacular scheduled May 2-5. Among the anticipated visiting locomotives for the event is LMS Jubilee Class Bahamas, a 4-6-0 type built in 1935. 

Events showcasing a mix of historical and modern equipment include: Alstom’s The Greatest Gathering at its Litchurch Lane Works in Derby, where on August 1-3 it plans to exhibit the ‘largest temporary assembly of trains and railway-related artifacts in a generation’. This will feature train rides, scale railway displays and music.

Travel with Trains

Trains Magazine will host a 200th anniversary celebration of steam tour of the United Kingdom Sept. 23 through Oct. 2, 2025 led by Associate Editor Bob Lettenberger. Visit Special Interest Tours for more information.