Heritage Locomotives Mark 200 Years of Passenger Rail with Global ‘Whistle-Up’

Historic train engines located throughout southern England are set to participate in a global “whistle-up” event, commemorating two centuries of passenger railway service. Among the participants sounding their whistles at 12:00 GMT on New Year’s Day are Swanage Railway, North Dorset Railway, Isle of Wight Steam Railway, and Didcot Rail Centre. The Heritage Railway Association is responsible for organizing this event, which anticipates the involvement of locomotives from diverse international locations such as Holland, South Africa, and Sierra Leone. Network Rail characterized the event as the “biggest railway heritage mass-participation event, ever”. Over 50 heritage railway organizations, both within the UK and internationally, will sound the whistles of almost 200 vintage steam and diesel locomotives, signifying the commencement of Railway 200. These year-long festivities are dedicated to commemorating the 1825 inauguration of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, a pivotal event that transformed public transportation. According to Network Rail, train engine horns at mainline stations will also be sounded to usher in the anniversary year. At the Didcot Railway Centre in Oxfordshire, the occasion will be observed with GWR Prairie 4144, which is scheduled to be in steam on 1 January. On the Isle of Wight, special New Year’s trains operating on the line at Havenstreet will participate in the whistle-up. Locomotives from North Dorset Railway at Shillingstone and Swanage Railway will similarly observe the occasion. Steve Oates, chief executive of the Heritage Railway Association, stated: “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 commented: “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.”” Information from BBC Dorset is available on Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram. This material is Copyright 2024 BBC, with all rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Details regarding our approach to external linking can be found.