Alstom announces 'The Greatest Gathering' to mark railway’s 200th anniversary in 2025
Alstom announces 'The Greatest Gathering' to mark railway’s 200th anniversary in 2025
Alstom has announced its initial plans for Railway 200 in 2025, a year-long celebration marking the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) on 27 September 1825 – and a journey that gave birth to the modern railway.
The first locomotive to run on the S&DR – Locomotion No. 1 – was built by the Newcastle-based Robert Stephenson and Company. It was the first company in the world created specifically to build railway engines and later manufactured several of the first locomotives for countries around the world. Through successive mergers, Robert Stephenson and Company became part of Alstom in 1989, giving the company a direct link to the dawn of the railways and making it the custodian of a unique legacy.
The Greatest Gathering
As part of next year’s Railway 200 celebrations, Alstom’s historic Derby Litchurch Lane Works will be front and centre, as its host the largest temporary gathering of trains and rail-related exhibits in a generation – The Greatest Gathering. This open weekend will take place on Friday 1, Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 August 2025.
In partnership with the wider industry and heritage operators, The Greatest Gathering promises to showcase iconic vehicles from the past, present and future of Britain’s railways – delighting thousands of enthusiasts of all ages, while inspiring the rail pioneers of the future
Alongside displays of historic and modern, mainline locomotives, Britain’s biggest rail celebration will also feature rides along Derby’s test track, a variety of miniature trains in operation and layouts staged by some of the biggest names in model railways. Fairground attractions, refreshment areas and live music will also add to the festival feel.
“The Greatest Gathering is not just going to be a celebration of the past 200 years of rail innovation, but a showcase of the future we’re building together,” said Nick Crossfield, Managing Director at Alstom UK and Ireland.
He added: “At Alstom, we are incredibly proud of our heritage and excited to open the doors to our historic Litchurch Lane site, where the legacy of railway forerunners continues today. This event will be an opportunity to inspire the next generation, celebrate our collective achievements, and reaffirm the importance of rail in creating a sustainable and better-connected future.”
Derby Litchurch Lane is one of the world’s largest rolling stock factories, and the only UK facility that designs, engineers, builds and tests trains for domestic and export markets. The factory was opened by the Midland Railway in 1876 and the city of Derby has been building trains continually since 1839. In 2022, Derby was chosen by the Government as the home of Great British Railways following a vote by the public between contender cities.
Railway 200 will be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to celebrate the railway’s far-reaching impact on how we live our lives and how it’s shaping a more sustainable future. It is a partner-led programme of activities and events across the UK, supported by the rail industry, the UK Government, Transport Scotland, Transport for Wales, the Northern Ireland Executive, rail and business bodies, civic and community groups and a wide range of other partners, including Visit Britain and the Museums Association.
The 200th anniversary will kick-off with an evocative ‘whistle-off’ of vintage locomotives at 12 noon on 1 January 2025 at sites across the UK, spearheaded by the Heritage Railway Association. There will also be a national Railway 200 seat sale in early 2025, offering heavily discounted train travel for great days out, as announced this month by the Secretary of State for Transport.
Glasgow Traincare Centre Open Day
Alstom is planning several other celebration events to support Railway 200 throughout 2025, including an open day to mark the 150th anniversary of its Glasgow Traincare Centre in Polmadie. Additional activities will be hosted around the world by the wider Alstom Group, which has a presence in 63 countries and a talent base of over 80,000 people from 175 nationalities.
Other Railway 200 highlights include planning a touring exhibition train – named ‘Inspiration’ – to criss-cross Britain, creating a buzz at mainline stations, heritage railways and depots. The train is being developed in partnership with the National Railway Museum, part of the Science Museum Group. It will consist of different interactive exhibitions exploring the past, present and future of rail.
More details on The Greatest Gathering – and how to purchase tickets – will be released in due course via Alstom's website and partner channels.
