Birmingham New Street celebrates the 200th anniversary of the modern railway this weekend, as part of a year-long calendar of celebrations.
Yesterday (Saturday 27 September) marked the 200th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway’s opening in 1825 with the first steam-hauled fare-paying passenger journey on a public railway - widely recognised as the birth of the modern railway. To help celebrate, as part of Railway 200, visitors and passengers at Birmingham New Street will hear special announcements and staff will be handing out Railway 200 goodies to passengers.
The nationally important station, the busiest outside of London, opened in the 1850’s and has played a significant role in the history of Britain’s railway and the city of Birmingham which has been celebrated this year. A collection of specially created pieces of art by pupils and students at six schools and colleges across the city was unveiled outside the station as part of this year’s Railway 200 celebrations.
The designs highlight famous Birmingham businesses, brands, and historical figures, showcasing the railway’s importance to their development and ambitions. A popular Railway 200 event, held in conjunction with Birmingham Heritage Week and marking the tenth anniversary of the redevelopment of Birmingham New Street, included exclusive public tours of the concealed tunnel beneath the station.
This tunnel holds significant value to Birmingham’s rail heritage as it was used to move post between the former Royal Mail sorting office and station platforms before being transported by rail across Britain. The West Midlands was also the first stop for the Railway 200 ‘Inspiration’ train, which arrived at Severn Valley Railway in Kidderminster at the end of June and then moved on to Birmingham Moor Street for three days in July.
The train, now a quarter of the way into its year-long tour of Britain, celebrates the past, present and the future of rail, and is designed to inspire schoolchildren and others to consider a career in rail by highlighting the wide range of different roles available in the industry. Elizabeth Graham, Birmingham New Street station manager, said: “We are incredibly proud to help celebrate our railway history.
“Birmingham New Street sits at the heart of the railway network, and we’ve been celebrating 200 years of the railway throughout this year with more exciting events and activities still to come. We look forward to welcoming passengers and visitors this weekend and sharing the rich history of our station and the railway with them."
Passengers can find out more about the Railway 200 campaign on the Railway200 website.
