Severn Valley Railway joins ‘whistle off’ to launch Railway 200 celebrations
Posted: 10 December 2024 | Global Railway Review | No comments yet
The Severn Valley Railway will join a nationwide ‘whistle off’ on New Year’s Day to launch Railway 200, celebrating 200 years of modern railways with a year of commemorative events.
Credit: Severn Valley Railway
On 1 January 2025, the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) has announced that it will take part in a nationwide ‘whistle off,’ joining heritage railways across the UK to celebrate the start of Railway 200. At exactly 12:00 on New Year’s Day, steam locomotives from heritage lines throughout the country will sound their whistles in unison, marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of modern railways.
The initiative, led by the Heritage Railway Association, aims to pay homage to the rich legacy of Britain’s railways while inspiring a new generation to explore careers in this sector. The celebratory year, dubbed Railway 200, will feature events across the country throughout 2025.
At the Severn Valley Railway, the ceremonial whistle will be sounded by volunteer driver Mick Matthews and fireman Alex Robinson from the footplate of an SVR steam locomotive.
“We’ll be at Bridgnorth station, waiting to depart with the southbound service to Kidderminster,” said 62-year-old Mick, who lives in Norton Canes, Staffordshire, and has been volunteering at the SVR since 1992. “When we sound the whistle at noon, we’ll definitely be giving it some extra welly for this very important occasion! I feel really honoured to be representing the SVR for this celebration, as the railway means so much to me. When I was going through treatment for cancer a few years ago, it was the hope of getting back to volunteering duties and the support of my friends and colleagues here that kept me going.”
Fireman Alex, 25, from Bridgnorth, Shropshire. said: “Knowing that heritage loco crews across the UK will be all sounding their whistles at exactly the same time is a wonderful way of bringing us all together. What a privilege to be launching the start of Railway 200.”
The Severn Valley Railway, celebrating its own 60th anniversary in 2025, will host a range of events throughout the year as part of the bicentenary celebrations.
In the meantime, SVR’s Festive Services will run daily from 26 December to 1 January, culminating in a two-day Winter Steam Gala on 4–5 January.
