Northern has unveiled new train-length artwork to celebrate 200 years of railway history, as part of the nationwide Railway 200 commemorations.
The design, revealed at a ceremony at Manchester Victoria station, covers the interior and exterior of a Class 158 train, transforming it into a moving tribute to the people and milestones that shaped Britain’s railways.
Developed with support from the National Railway Museum, the artwork features a timeline of key events, including:
- The pioneering work of George Stephenson and the launch of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825
- The Victorian expansion of the rail network across the North of England
- The nationalisation of British Railways in 1948
- The withdrawal of mainline steam trains in 1968
- Northern’s own milestone: the £500 million fleet upgrade announced in 2018
Inside the train, Northern has honoured 39 long-serving colleagues – each with 45+ years of service – by adding their names to the interior, recognising their dedication and inspiring the next generation of railway workers.
Alex Hornby, Commercial and Customer Director at Northern, said:
“This very special train celebrates 200 years of railway history, and is packed with tributes and fascinating facts about our railway, both inside and out.
"As we reflect and look back, it also seems a highly appropriate time to say a big thank you to many of our long-serving colleagues for the significant contribution they have made over the years and how they inspire the next generation, including our talented apprentices who we invited to the unveiling today.
“This train will be seen by thousands of our customers in the coming months as it travels throughout the North, and hopefully they will join us in thanking those people who have worked so hard to build our railway and keep trains running across the region, day in day out.
“We’ve come a long way since George Stephenson’s steam-powered locomotive carried passengers for the first time in September 1825 and now have a network which serves tens of millions of people by connecting communities across the country.”
The unveiling event welcomed dozens of engineering apprentices, trainee drivers, and conductors, reflecting Northern’s commitment to workforce development and community engagement.
Northern operates 2,650 services a day to over 500 stations, making it the second-largest train operator in the UK. The commemorative train will run across the network, bringing railway history to life for passengers across the North.
Image credit: Northern
