Alstom celebrates 200th anniversary of world’s first locomotive works

Alstom has celebrated the 200th Anniversary of the world’s first purpose-built locomotive works, Robert Stephenson and Company, in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.

Founded on 23rd June 1823, Robert Stephenson and Company was the first company in the world created specifically to build railway engines. The company merged with Hawthorn Leslie to form Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns Ltd in 1937, which went on to become English Electric and merged with GEC in 1968. In 1989 GEC merged with Alstom.

Robert Stephenson and Company was based in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, which is now one of the fastest growing tech clusters in the United Kingdom, and the home of Alstom company Nomad Digital, a world-leading provider of passenger and fleet management solutions to the transport industry. Through digitalisation and data, Nomad brings the power of connectivity to railways through Wi-Fi, real-time fleet monitoring, fleet reporting, passenger on-board information systems and entertainment portals to name a few.

“Alstom has a rich history in rolling stock design and manufacture, and we’re proud to trace our roots back to the world’s very first locomotive works,” Nick Crossfield, Managing Director Alstom UK & Ireland, said. “We continue to be the UK’s foremost supplier of new trains, and from our headquarters in Derby continue to deliver some of the biggest rail programmes in the country.”

“We’re pleased to mark this important milestone in the history of rolling stock, especially so local to the Nomad Digital headquarters, and look forward to continuing to play our part in the digital development of the railway industry for years to come,” Xavier Champaud, Managing Director at Nomad Digital, said.