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. 

Our Railway Division is the cornerstone of our rail activities, so do find out more about their work and the latest rail industry news. 

A huge thank you to all our members who have stepped up to transcribe papers from our George Stephenson collection. We now have enough volunteers and can’t wait to uncover new insights into the life of our first president.

We’ll be publishing the results of this research in June, just in time for George Stephenson’s birthday—stay tuned.

In the meantime, explore our Library and Archive collections, where you can journey through railway history. Discover stunning technical drawings, photographs, and curated reading lists that showcase both the rich past and the latest research in the railway industry.