The Ferrovia 200 campaign has launched a new-look timeline today which takes us on a scenic, interactive tour of the past, present and future of rail.
Ferrovia 200 celebrates the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway, commemorating the opening by George Stephenson of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) in the North East of England in 1825, a journey that changed the world forever.
The new-look timeline has been developed with expert help from the National Railway Museum and offers a new upgraded experience, featuring maps, audio, new explainer videos, and more. Links to external sources of information have been integrated into the timeline, enabling visitors to study featured events in more depth.
Railway 200’s comprehensive timeline now includes 65 moments in time, up from just over 50 when it was first launched. It begins in the 1700s where many miles of wooden track were used to haul coal across the North East of England using horses. It ends in the present, marking the passing of legislation to nationalise most of the railway.
Amongst the many historic developments featured, new interactive content includes:
- An illustration of the route taken by Locomotion No.1 along the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825, which has been divided into seven key points on a map, each with a brief description accompanying it.
- Songs written about the Stockton and Darlington journey, including ‘My Dear Sister’ by Sam Slatcher.
- Video from the Science Museum on how Stephenson’s Rocket changed the world.
- A painting by Turner named ‘Rain, Steam and Speed’, where visitors can learn about the painting and are given the opportunity to vote for their favourite railway art.
- A video of the Caledonian Sleeper making its way through breath-taking scenery (illustrating a section on the introduction of sleeping carriages in trains in the 1880s).
- A sliding image enabling visitors to view the Forth Bridge as it was during construction and as it is now.
- The British Film Institute’s official film celebrating the centenary of the Railway.
- A video giving visitors a tour of a Eurostar train and explaining how to drive it.
- Footage from DB Cargo, featuring their freight trains which help cut carbon emissions by reducing the number of lorries on the road.
Railway 200’s website lead, Martyn Pennell has worked to ensure as many people as possible are able to explore this treasure trove of railway heritage. He commissioned experts at Accessibility Made Easy to review the accessibility of the timeline for disabled users.
The work has involved reviewing the content and structure against global standards and facilitating research interviews with a sample of disabled users of assistive technology on different devices, as well as seeking feedback from users with learning disabilities.
Martyn Pennell said: “We have tried to go beyond normal good practice, to understand how disabled users can navigate and interpret this material, rather than just rely on automated testing.”
Emma Roberts, Programme Manager for Railway 200, said: “It is important that we remember the story of the railway and its impact on British life, and the world. Not only does this new timeline capture and explain some great examples of British ingenuity through the ages, but it also shines a light on the social and economic changes made possible by the journeys and connections people made. We hope the addition of music, videos, maps, and links to explore subjects in more depth help to intrigue and inspire people of all ages to find out more about the game-changing impact of rail on our lives. We would love more young people to consider how they can play their part in the future of our railways.
“I’d like to thank the National Railway Museum, and all of our partners, for their support in bringing the Railway 200 timeline to life and making it a really useful, reliable source of information for everyone to enjoy.”
Oliver Betts, the National Railway Museum’s Research Lead said: “The story of the railways is one of innovation, ambition, and transformation, and this timeline brings all of that to life in an engaging and accessible way. By combining our expert insights with a range of fascinating multimedia content, we hope to inspire new generations to explore the rich history of rail and its continuing impact on our society.”