Railway 200

200 years ago, the Stockton & Darlington Railway opened, connecting places, people, communities and ideas, and ultimately transforming the world. In 2025 we’re joining the nation to celebrate Railway 200, honouring rail’s remarkable past, its role today, and its importance to a sustainable future.

Photo: Railway 200, The Watercress Line

We’ll soon be sharing details of exciting railway-themed activities being held across Britain to celebrate this momentous milestone, linked to four themes:

• Innovation, technology and environment
• Education and skills
• Celebrating rail people
• Culture, heritage and tourism

There’ll be plenty of opportunities for you and the family to get involved and join in with this once-in-a-generation celebration.

Learn more about the national celebration here.

In the meantime, explore how the railway has changed Britain’s holiday landscape and impacted people’s lives for the better with our bite-sized railway history below.

How the railway shaped Britain’s holidays

27 September 1825. That is the date that changed the world forever. The Stockton and Darlington Railway opened, bringing with it significant leaps forward in transport like nothing ever seen before.

Even in those first few years of opening, railways were beginning to lead considerable changes within British society. Road transport could not compete. As well as being much more time consuming, it was also more expensive. Letter and newspapers were some of the first goods that were delivered by rail, sending correspondence and news around the country with greatly increased speed.

Photo: Friends of Glazebrook Station

Railways allowed people to travel further, more quickly. This allowed leisure travel, and contributed to the growth of seaside resorts, enabling people to escape the pollution of the big cities. The railway made day trips and short breaks more accessible to the wider population. Leisure travel was no longer just for the affluent in high society.

Photo: Railway 200

The original package holiday was a train journey from Leicester to Loughborough in 1841, organised by Thomas Cook. The trip was 11 miles long and included tea, ham sandwiches and even a brass band.

Since then, as times have moved on, people have explored further afield with the growth of air travel and a modern-day reliance on the car. However Britain’s railways have never lost their romance. Being one of the greenest ways to travel, taking the train is helping fight the climate emergency. The stress of traffic and parking, a distant memory as you sink into your train seat and let the railway deliver you to where you need to be. The journey was always, and remains today, part of the experience.

Fall in love with Britain’s railways and explore them for yourself with our inspiring suggestions of how to fully experience Scenic Rail Britain…