SHILTON, England — Officials in the United Kingdom have announced a new feature for the 200th anniversary of the first modern steam railway in September: A newly restored replica of the Stockton & Darlington Railways original locomotive, Locomotion No. 1, will operate on sections of the original railway on Sept. 26-28, part of a weeklong celebration including cultural and historical programs timed to the 200th anniversary date of Sept. 27, 2025.
Participants in the Trains Magazine/Special Interest Tours “UK Celebration of Steam Bicentennial Tour” will be on hand for the anniversary events, visiting Darlington on Sept. 27 and Shildon’s Locomotion Museum on Sept. 28. Shildon was the terminus of the Stockton & Darlington when it opened with Locomotion No. 1’s inaugural run on Sept. 27, 1825.
The Locomotion replica will haul the passenger carriage Experiment, as well as traditional coal wagons. Advance ticketing will be required for two of the official viewpoints; the final leg of the trip, from Darlington to Stockton, has yet to be confirmed; the Stockton & Darlington Railway 200 group is working with infrastructure owner Network Rail to address technical and timetable issues.
Also taking place at Locomotion during this period will be a visit by the Railway 200 “Inspiration” traveling rail exhibit, and a “Next Generation” lineup of new technologies. It will feature Stadler’s Class 93 tri-mode locomotive, which can operate on overhead electric powers, diesel, or batteries; the Revolution VLR (Very Light Rail) train; and digital iWagon freight equipment.
A few spots remain on the Trains/Special Interest “UK Celebration” tour” a 10-day, nine-night event which begins Sept. 23 in London and concludes Oct. 2 in Manchester. Along with visiting the sites of the Stockton & Darlington anniversary, events will include four private-car excursions on steam heritage railways; visits to the celebrated National Railway Museum in York and the London Transport Museum, as well as a bus tour of London. For full details or to join the tour, visit the Special Interest Tours website.
