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The Greatest Gathering: Tickets on sale for Alstom's Railway 200 event after launch event

Class 50 50049 and A4 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley at Alstom's Litchurch Lane in Derby for the launch of The Greatest Gathering for Railway 200. ALSTOM

Tickets have gone on sale for one of the biggest Railway 200 events at Alstom’s Litchurch Lane factory in Derby.

The event called ‘The Greatest Gathering’ will take place from August 1-3 and will feature more than 50 rolling stock exhibits and be a highlight of the year-long celebrations marking the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) on September 27, 1825.

Alongside displays of historic and modern, mainline locomotives, Britain’s biggest rail celebration will also feature rides along Derby’s test track and a variety of narrow-gauge trains in operation. It’s expected that around 30,000 people will attend the event.

Gian Luca Erbacci, Europe Region President at Alstom: “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.”

Music legend and rail enthusiast Pete Waterman was at the launch event on January 30. He’ll be involved in August, along with others in a special model railway village at the event.

The Greatest Gathering Launch 3 –  (left to right) Class 390 Pendolino (390200), LNER Class A4 (60007) ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’, Class 50 (50049) ‘Defiance’, Merchant Navy Class (35018) ‘British India Line’, Class 37 (37800), ‘Cassiopeia’, Class 66 (66315), and Class 57 (57307) ‘Lady Penelope’. ALSTOM.

“Railway 200 is about people and what the railway has done for families in hard times, like the first and second world wars and during the fifties. The railway family is what we’re celebrating,” he said.

A gathering of historic locomotives representing steam, diesel and electric traction were on display at the launch including: LNER Class A4 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley, built 1937; Class 66 (66315) converted for UK use in 2025; GB Railfreight’s 69004; and recently preserved Class 507 (507001), built 1978.

Avanti West Coast also renamed one of its Class 390 Pendolinos ‘Railway 200’ ane renumberd it from 390016 to 390200.

The Greatest Gathering Launch 5 –  (left to right) Andy Mellors, Managing Director at Avanti West Coast, John Smith OBE, Chief Executive Officer at GB Railfreight, Emma Roberts, Programme Manaer at Railway 200, Gian Luca Erbacci, Europe Region President at Alstom, James Dobson, Operations Delivery Manager at Avanti West Coast, Baggy Shanker, Labour MP for Derby South, and Pete Waterman, legendary music and rail enthusiast. ALSTOM.

Tickets are on sale directly from the Greatest Gathering website. They are priced at £30 for adults and £15 for children (ages five to 15), with a family ticket (two adults and two children) costing £65 – plus booking fees. Children under five go free.

All profits will be split between Railway 200’s five chosen charities – Alzheimer's Research UK, Railway Benefit Fund, Railway Children, Railway Mission and Transport Benevolent Fund CIO – and charitable railway heritage partners.

Tickets are on sale at www.alstom.com/greatest-gathering.



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