Global Whistle-Up Kicks Off 200th Anniversary of Passenger Rail

Heritage locomotives located across the south of England are set to participate in a worldwide “whistle-up” event, commemorating two centuries of passenger rail travel. Among those scheduled to create noise at 12:00 GMT on New Year’s Day are Swanage Railway, North Dorset Railway, Isle of Wight Steam Railway, and Didcot Rail Centre. Organized by the Heritage Railway Association, the event is anticipated to involve locomotives from distant regions such as Holland, South Africa, and Sierra Leone. Network Rail characterized it as the “biggest railway heritage mass-participation event, ever”. More than 50 heritage railways, both in the UK and internationally, will sound the whistles of nearly 200 vintage steam and diesel locomotives to mark the commencement of Railway 200. The year-long celebrations are dedicated to commemorating the 1825 launch of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, a significant occasion that transformed public transport. Network Rail also stated that train engine horns at mainline stations will sound to welcome the anniversary year. In Oxfordshire, Didcot Railway Centre plans to observe the occasion with GWR Prairie 4144, which will be operating under steam on 1 January. On the Isle of Wight, special new year trains will join the whistle-up as they run on the line at Havenstreet. Locomotives from North Dorset Railway at Shillingstone and Swanage Railway are also slated to mark the occasion. Steve Oates, chief executive of the Heritage Railway Association, commented: “The whistle-up is a great chance for everyone involved in railways, big and small, across the world, to join in the celebrations and see in 2025 in style by reviving a tradition from the age of steam.” Rail Minister Lord Hendy remarked: “The world changed forever in 1825 with the birth of the modern railway in Britain, and rolled out across the globe. “Railway 200’s celebrations are a unique opportunity to honour a ground-breaking moment in our history.”” For updates, BBC Dorset can be followed on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is available.