TRAIN TRACKS - Live on BBC Radio 3
Saturday 27 September from 7.30 am

​Saturday 27 September 2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway, when George Stephenson drove Locomotion No. 1 on its inaugural journey from Shildon to Stockton-on-Tees via Darlington, to great fanfare. The 26-mile journey was a landmark moment in public transport and the springboard for the great Victorian age of the railways, transforming how the world traded, travelled, and communicated.
John Radio 3's train enthusiast, Petroc Trelawny, as he celebrates this historic occasion by travelling from Inverness to London on the Highland and East Coast Main Lines, aboard the Highland Chieftain, one of the longest direct train journeys in the UK.
Over the course of an eight-hour, 581-mile journey, Petroc will provide updates from the train as it speeds south. He will be joined by fellow Radio 3 presenters at stations along the route, including Tom Service at Pitlochry, Tom McKinney at Edinburgh Waverley, Elizabeth Alker at Darlington and Georgia Mann at King’s Cross.
Framed by a specially curated railway-themed soundtrack, including live music inserts, featuring music inspired by trains from across the UK and beyond including a Scottish piper, a brass band and a jazz quartet.
Special guests join Petroc throughout the day as he visits iconic railway destinations - including the National Railway Museum in York - while the trains themselves do some of the broadcasting, as we revel in evocative field recordings of locomotives recorded across the UK.
As the train departs Inverness station at 0755, the Highland Chieftain will be sent on its way by Pipe Major Iain Campbell playing one of the Highlands most loved bagpipe tunes.
Available on BBC Radio 3 from 7.30 am Saturday 27 September and on BBC Sounds

THE THIRD and final instalment of our very own Rail 200 celebratory Poetry Platform launched today as Railway Cat, Skimbleshanks, reaches the end of his journey!

Browse the selection of poems and story behind 200 years of commercial rail travel as it arrives in the modern era on your own journey through the station.

For more on the story of 200 years of commercial rail travel catch up with "Michael Portillo's 200 Years of the Railways" a fascinating two part documentary by the country's favourite railway traveller and available now on BBC iPlayer ​​

On another very warm, sunny August day this year's Bumblebee Safari led by Joy Hallsworth of Friends of Hadfield Station was a great event.
After welcoming everyone Joy showed the planters and station gardens where bumblebees were quickly spotted. Neil Williams from Friends of Glossop Station showed a knitted model of the Peak District's rarest bumblebee the Bilberry Bumblebee. There was a lot of interest as to where this could be seen in Glossop.
This was followed by a walk around the wilder edges of Bankswood Park to look for bumblebees and the plants where they might be seen such as thistles, rose bay willow herb and clover..
Twenty facts about Bumblebees were read out by the children which prompted discussion and a few smiles.
Woollen Bilberry Bumblebees, kindly knitted by Sheila Webster, were given to the children. Everyone was also given a copy of 'Make a Beeline to the Peak District 'a booklet compiled by station friends groups and published by High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership to encourage further Bumblebee walks in the area.
Everyone agreed it had been a happy and informative event.​

LAST WEEKEND's 'Greatest Gathering' festival celebrated 200 years of railway travel when more than 140 locomotives and railway vehicles were displayed including famous vehicles such as the Flying Scotsman.
The three-day event was part of Railway 200's year-long commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the world's first passenger railway journey.
Billed as "the world's largest-ever collection of historic and modern rolling stock", The Greatest Gathering took place at train manufacturer Alstom's Litchurch Lane Works, the first time it opened its doors to the public in nearly 50 years.
More than 40,000 people - including some from as far as New Zealand - arrived in Derby for the festivities, which was quoted as being "a resounding success."
It was a unique event and something which is unlikely to be repeated
CLICK HERE to view some of the highlights of the weekend (YouTube) or HERE for a gallery collection of images (Courtesy of Model World)

THE LATEST INSTALMENT of our Poetry Platform has launched featuring verses and telling of the historical events celebrating 200 Years of Rail Travel.
As well as telling more of the story of the development of the railways it also features part two of "Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat"
Take a moment to drop by the station or have a look on your travels to take in the poetry and history now displayed.
For more on the history of the railways go to the dedicated Rail200 website where you can also find information on other events taking place throughout the UK.