Marking the first anniversary since Alstom hosted the world’s largest-ever railway festival, passenger operator Great Western Railway (GWR) has unveiled a special dedication on one of its Intercity Express Trains celebrating the legacy of The Greatest Gathering.
The design – applied to Class 800 No. 800012 – pays tribute to the record-breaking festival held at Alstom’s historic Litchurch Lane Works in Derby, where more than 40,000 visitors came together over three days in August 2025 to celebrate 200 years of the modern railway.
Held as part of Railway 200 – the bicentenary of the modern railway – The Greatest Gathering brought together more than 140 railway vehicles spanning two centuries of innovation, from the golden age of steam to today’s modern railway, and the technologies shaping its future.
Rail legends
“It is fantastic to see the legacy of The Greatest Gathering continue through this special train dedication from Great Western Railway. Bringing together more than 40,000 people from around the world and over 140 railway vehicles, Alstom’s event demonstrated the pride, passion and innovation that have defined our industry for two centuries,” said Rob Whyte, Managing Director UK at Alstom.
He added: “The Greatest Gathering was about celebrating railway heritage, engaging our industry’s next generation and showcasing the vital role rail continues to play in connecting people and helping businesses thrive, and we are delighted that the impact of our event continues to inspire.”
Iconic exhibits at The Greatest Gathering included the world-famous Flying Scotsman, the 200-year-old Locomotion No. 1 and an Alstom-built Eurostar power car, while the event also highlighted the railway’s role in connecting communities, supporting economic growth and inspiring the next generation of railway professionals. The festival raised more than £100,000 for charity.
“The heritage of the railway is entwinned into the DNA of GWR as the world’s oldest railway name still in use today,” said Mark Hopwood CBE, Managing Director at GWR.
He added: “I’m really pleased we have been able to celebrate what was an incredible festival, which showcased so many positive things about the UK rail industry.”
To mark the anniversary, GWR showcased the newly-dedicated train at London Paddington railway station on Friday 31 July alongside a locomotive and a train that also featured as part of last year’s Railway 200 celebrations. Avanti West Coast’s Alstom-built Class 390 Pendolino No. 390200 appeared at The Greatest Gathering’s launch event in January 2025, where it was renumbered from No. 390016 at Derby Litchurch Lane Works and named Railway 200.
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Meanwhile, GWR’s heritage Class 57 locomotive, No. 57604 Pendennis Castle – carrying its original GWR green livery – appeared at the London celebration event a year after its starring role at The Greatest Gathering itself.
“We’re pleased to join Great Western Railway and industry partners in celebrating The Greatest Gathering and recognising the hard work of everyone who helped make this historic event happen,” said Andy Mellors, Managing Director at Avanti West Coast.
He added: “Bringing our Railway 200 Pendolino to Paddington is a fitting way to mark the first anniversary of this unique celebration of rail. It has left a legacy and strong sense of pride among all those who have a connection to the railway.”
Earlier this month, 16 Alstom colleagues based at GWR’s Reading Depot pulled a 25-tonne historic steam engine for an hour by hand for charity at Didcot Railway Centre in Oxfordshire. Hauling No. 1340 Trojan for 1,500 metres, the team raised over £2,000 for Variety, the Children’s Charity.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham
Meanwhile, on Tuesday 28 July, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham visited Alstom’s Derby Litchurch Lane Works, where he announced the launch of new technical education routes. During his time at the 90-acre site, he met around 100 apprentices and graduates in the company’s National Training Academy.
Derby Litchurch Lane is one of the world’s largest rolling stock factories, and the only UK facility that designs, engineers, builds and tests trains for domestic and export markets. The factory was opened by the Midland Railway in 1876 and the city of Derby has been building trains continually since 1839.
In 2022, Derby was chosen by the Government as the home of Great British Railways following a vote by the public between contender cities.
Award-winning
A multi-award-winning event, The Greatest Gathering has recently been nominated for Railway 200 Event of the Year at the National Rail Awards, while co-organiser, Kathryn Lancaster, Communications Manager at Alstom is in the running for Outstanding Personal Contribution. Often described as the ‘Railway Oscars’, the National Rail Awards honour the people, projects and organisations driving progress across the rail industry, and this year’s ceremony takes place at Grosvenor House Hotel in London on Thursday 17 September.
The Greatest Gathering is also nominated for Campaign of the Year at the National Transport Awards, while one of the festival’s inclusion initiatives, the world’s first Pride parade on a train, is a finalist in the Best Practice in Diversity, Inclusivity and Accessibility category. Winners will be announced at the UK National Transport Awards ceremony on Thursday 1 October at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge in London.
