Alstom to Display Historic Locomotives at Railway 200 Celebration

Later this year, Alstom is set to open its Litchurch Lane site in Derby to the public as part of the Railway 200 celebrations.

The event, named The Greatest Gathering, will take place on Friday 1, Saturday 2, and Sunday 3 August 2025. More than 50 rolling stock exhibits, representing the past, present, and future of rail, will be on display.

The event is part of Railway 200, a year-long commemoration marking the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) on 27 September 1825.

Locomotion No. 1, the first locomotive to run on the S&DR, was built by Robert Stephenson and Company, which later became part of Alstom in 1989.

Gian Luca Erbacci, Europe Region President at Alstom said:

The Greatest Gathering, presented by Alstom for Railway 200, is a unique opportunity to celebrate not only the incredible progress of the past two centuries but also the bright future of rail.

Since 1825, Alstom has played a pivotal role in shaping rail innovation and our Litchurch Lane site remains at the heart of that legacy. This event is about bringing people together to reflect on what we’ve achieved collectively and to inspire the next generation to push the boundaries of what’s possible in sustainable transport.

A range of historic locomotives from different eras will be exhibited at The Greatest Gathering, including:

• LNER Class A4 (60007) ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ (built 1937, steam)
• Merchant Navy Class (35018) ‘British India Line’ (built 1945, steam)
• Class 37 (37800) ‘Cassiopeia’ (built 1963, diesel-electric)
• Class 50 (50049) ‘Defiance’ (built 1968, diesel)
• Class 57 (57307) ‘Lady Penelope’ (originally built in 1965, rebuilt in 2002, diesel)
• Class 66 (66315, converted for UK use in 2025, diesel)
• Class 69 (69004, originally built in 1979, rebuilt in 2022, diesel-electric)
• Class 507 (507001, built 1978, preserved electric multiple unit)
• Class 390 Pendolino (390016, renumbered 390200 for Railway 200, built 2002, electric high-speed passenger train)
• Class 701 Aventra (701003, built in 2024, electric multiple unit)
• Class 720 Aventra (720503, built in 2024, electric multiple unit)

In addition to the rolling stock displays, the festival will offer rides on Derby’s test track and feature narrow-gauge trains in operation.

Visitors will also have access to fairground attractions, street food, live music, and a Model Railway Village. Talks and discussions with historians and industry leaders will take place in the Mobility Theatre.

Alstom’s Derby site is one of the world’s largest rolling stock factories and the only UK facility that designs, engineers, builds, and tests trains for domestic and international markets. Derby has been a centre for train manufacturing since 1839, and in 2022, it was chosen as the headquarters for Great British Railways following a public vote.

Tickets for the event went on sale at 9am on Friday 31 January via The Greatest Gathering website. Prices are 30 GBP for adults, 15 GBP for children (ages five to 15), and 65 GBP for a family ticket (two adults and two children), plus booking fees. Children under five can attend for free.

Proceeds from the event will be donated to Railway 200’s five chosen charities: Alzheimer’s Research UK, Railway Benefit Fund, Railway Children, Railway Mission, and Transport Benevolent Fund CIO, as well as railway heritage partners.