When we are asked who invented the railways, we can confidently say we did – Britain. But precisely who was involved and how it all developed is a long story. By the end of the 18th century, the Indus

CAROLINE HARDIE, Trustee of Friends of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, takes us back to when and where it all began…

Much has been written about the Stockton & Darlington Railway 150th anniversary celebrations in 1975. Now, for the first time, someone from the team that organised it all tells the inside story of how it was achieved. MAURICE BURNS – who represented the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group on the organising Joint Committee, and also volunteered to help on subcommittees for events, selecting engines for the cavalcade and writing the guidebook – recalls his memories of that incredible time.

The seed sown by the opening and success of the Stockton & Darlington Railway (S&DR) led to a rapid increase in the number of railways in Britain as other ventures were promoted, the Liverpool & Manch

Today we might minimise or even overlook the railway’s significance, because it is such an established part of our lives. Yet at its height the industry employed more than half a million people across

Whether you love the romance of rail, the thrill of the bullet train or the train-spotting buzz, September is all about celebrations to mark 200 years since the birth of rail travel