A year-long festival of railways has started, to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the first passenger train to be hauled by a locomotive on the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

This historic journey was made on 27 September 1825. The S&D also employed horses, but in 1830 the Liverpool & Manchester Railway was opened, using only locomotives. The era of horse-drawn trains was coming to an end, and the Railway Age had begun.

Railway 200 will celebrate this anniversary with events throughout the United Kingdom. A nine-month international festival starting in March will also run alongside Railway 200 in north east England, to mark the Stockton and Darlington anniversary. Entitled S&DR200, this will involve events in County Durham and Tees Valley.

The Royal Mint has unveiled a commemorative £2 coin, while more than 100 events have already been announced.

Railnews will be launching its own celebrations with special features and R200 news through the year, including podcast items. There will also be an online exhibition recalling key events on the history of the railways, including many historic posters and other documents.

Trains and locomotives in Britain and many other countries sounded their whistles and horns at midday yesterday to mark the launch of Railway 200.

The ‘whistle off’ included locomotives on dozens of heritage railways as well as many at National Rail stations.

Train operator LNER is among those supporting both festivals. Managing director David Horne said: ‘We have an exciting year ahead, from celebrations marking two hundred years of the modern railway to launching our additional direct services between Bradford, the UK City of Culture in 2025, and London. We look forward to supporting these celebrations, and to welcoming even more customers as our new, transformational timetable is introduced in December 2025.’

The heritage Swanage Railway joined the celebrations at 12.00 on New Year’s Day, when the whistle of a Victorian T3 class locomotive was sounded as it departed from Swanage with a passenger train.

Volunteer fireman Aidan Strand said: ‘It was great to participate in the Railway 200 whistle off as was being a part of history and the legacy of railways as a whole. I doubt that two centuries ago those initial entrepreneurs, or the public, would have even considered railways powered by steam locomotives still being around 200 years on.’

Meanwhile, the Railway Industry Association celebrates its own special anniversary this year, because its original predecessor the Locomotive Manufacturers’ Association was founded in 1875.

RIA said it is looking forward to launching its own ‘Future of Rail’ series this year. This will include a programme of interactive events to lead and shape some of the national discussions on the future of the railways.