S&DR200 - Railway Firsts

About

This is a year of celebration for the railways across the country.

2025 is the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway—recognised globally as a key precursor to the birth of the modern railways. This year is also the National Railway Museum’s 50th birthday. To mark this occasion, Railway Firsts highlights a collection of both well-known and unexpected stories that have shaped the railways and our history. The range of firsts is broad, covering everything from tunnelling to holidays. Throughout the museum you will encounter different pop-ups with firsts that may surprise you.

As a leader in rail knowledge, we proudly collect, preserve and tell the stories of the railways. We are looking forward to our next 200 years as we work to become the world’s railway museum.