This year marks a milestone in railway history—the 200th anniversary of the world’s first passenger railway, which opened between Stockton and Darlington on 27 September 1825. It’s a moment to celebrate the huge contribution of engineers to the rail industry.

At IMechE, we’re proud to have been at the heart of the railway engineering community since our founding. Our first President, George Stephenson, pioneered that historic railway, and today, our members continue to drive innovation in rail technology.

That’s why we’re making 2025 A Year of Rail—a year-long celebration showcasing the expertise, achievements, and contributions of railway engineers past and present. Through events, training courses, and thought leadership, we’re championing the critical role of engineering in shaping the railways of tomorrow.

Throughout the year, we will be adding more activities and opportunities for you to engage and celebrate with us, so don't forget to come back.

Thanks to all our members who have volunteered to transcribe papers from our George Stephenson collection. We now have enough volunteers and look forward to seeing the insights they uncover into the life of our first president.

We will publish the results of the research in June to coincide with George Stephenson's birthday.