In September 2025, Railway 200 marked the 200th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway’s 27 September 1825 opening – widely recognised as the birth of the modern railway.
Millions of people came together during the anniversary year to celebrate the role of this remarkable British innovation in connecting communities and advancing technology.
This anniversary year saw thousands of events and activities, from local festivals to heritage galas, community walks to art installations – as well as the groundbreaking Inspiration exhibition train, which tours Britain until summer 2026.
Why is 27 September 1825 such an important date in the development of the railway?
27 September 1825 signifies the official launch of the first steam-hauled fare-paying passenger journey on a public railway. On this day, Locomotion No. 1 pulled coal wagons and passenger coaches from Shildon to Stockton via Darlington, underlining the practical viability of steam-driven passenger transport.
This watershed event demonstrated the transformative potential of rail for urbanisation, freight transport, and social transformation, sparking a worldwide rail movement and shaping modern transport infrastructure.
What happened in September to celebrate this?
September 2025 featured a rich variety of celebration events and activities:
- S&DR200 Anniversary Journey in Darlington (26–28 September)
- Exhibition-train Inspiration residency at Darlington (10–17 Sept) and Shildon (20 Sept–1 Oct)
- BBC 2: Michael Portillo’s 200 Years of the Railways
- Radio 3’s Train Tracks includes a whole-day broadcast and five live programmes across the country
- Nene Valley Railway weekend (13–14 Sept)
- South Devon Railway Heritage Weekend (13–14 Sept)
- Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway Gala (27–28 Sept)
- Bell ringing, model railway exhibitions, guided cemetery walks
- International events, including a unique event with multiple steam locomotives at the Asturias Railway Museum in Spain
- Nationwide live‑stream events and station tours
S&DR200
This 26-mile journey on the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) between Shildon and Stockton via Darlington on 27 September 1825 transformed how the world traded, travelled, and communicated.
The S&DR200 Festival presented a series of free large-scale outdoor spectacles, events, exhibitions and new art commissions in the public spaces, libraries and world-class museums of County Durham and Tees Valley from March to November 2025.
Looking back down the track: the journey to 27 September
2025 Highlights So Far
@Railway200 on social media
It’s film night at the BFI next week and an opportunity to discover how railways and cinema have evolved side by side.
The BFI is screening rail films at the Southbank on 2 September showcase the British Film Institute’s, variety of rail-related films available to watch. Which… pic.twitter.com/LYdpm6AiaS
— railway200 (@railway200) August 31, 2025
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