Alstom’s landmark Railway 200 celebration, The Greatest Gathering, has delivered a powerful legacy beyond the tracks, raising more than £100,000 for charities and heritage causes.
Held at Derby’s historic Litchurch Lane Works, the record-breaking event brought together rail enthusiasts, industry figures, and volunteers to celebrate 200 years of railway innovation while generating vital funds to support the railway family and preserve Britain’s rail heritage.
Between Friday 1 and Sunday 3 August 2025, the event gave more than 40,000 rail fans the opportunity to witness in excess of 140 rail vehicles at Alstom’s biggest rolling stock factory, while millions more enjoyed the award-winning festival virtually around the world. The Greatest Gathering also marked the first time in almost 50 years that the Derby site had opened to the public.
“Raising over £100,000 is an outstanding result and a testament to the generosity of rail fans, partners and the hundreds of volunteers who made The Greatest Gathering possible. We’re proud that these funds will support national charities and the heritage organisations that keep Britain’s railway story alive,” said Andy Butters, managing director, Derby Litchurch Lane Works at Alstom.
He added: “Opening our Litchurch Lane Works to the public for the first time in almost 50 years was a special moment for Derby, Alstom, and the wider industry. It allowed us to celebrate two centuries of innovation made here, across the country and around the world, and this fundraising milestone shows how powerfully our railway heritage continues to inspire.”
On Monday 8 December, The Greatest Gathering Organising Committee presented a giant cheque, signifying the more than £100,000 raised from the event’s ticket sales, vendor fees, and merchandise. Revenues will now 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 – alongside more than 50 railway heritage organisations that took part in the event itself.
“We are immensely proud to have been included in this once-in-a-lifetime, record-breaking event, and we share this moment in history with the fantastic organising team,” said Jo Kaye, chief executive officer of the Railway Benefit Fund.
“Supporting the railway family will always be our priority, and the proceeds raised will directly allow us to give the people behind the UK’s railways and their families a helping hand when they face difficult challenges, such as illness, injury or financial hardship. This will make a real difference right away.”
Official artwork
At the same time as the major fundraising announcement, The Greatest Gathering’s official artwork – a large oil painting by the event’s artist in residence, Tim O’Brien – went on display for the first time. The Nottinghamshire artist attended the entire festival where he worked ‘en plein air’ (the practice of painting outdoors) and his finished piece captures, in meticulous detail, the rolling stock and diverse groups of people that made Alstom’s festival so special.
More than 500 Alstom colleagues volunteered as part of The Greatest Gathering, with many of them attending the grand unveiling of the official artwork in J shop; a large, open-plan office space situated at the heart of Alstom’s 90-acre Derby site. The painting proudly sits below a large aluminium train headboard, designed, manufactured and finished for the festival by Chesterfield-based Newton Castings.
The artwork was unveiled by legendary music producer and rail enthusiast, Pete Waterman OBE. As well as bringing his 64 ft-long OO gauge Making Tracks 3 model layout to The Greatest Gathering, he is also charity president of the Railway Benefit Fund. Furthermore, he can even be spotted in Tim’s painting, alongside other UK household names such as broadcaster and former politician Michael Portillo and journalist and presenter Jeremy Vine, who also attended The Greatest Gathering. The artist even captured the colourful participants of the world’s first Pride parade on a train, which took place on the Saturday of the three-day festival.
Opened by the Midland Railway in 1876, 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. Indeed, the day after The Greatest Gathering closed to the public, preparatory work began in earnest for the manufacture of new Elizabeth line trains, with the production line opening two months later.
Class 507
Following the presentation in J shop, Alstom colleagues were invited to visit the site’s 1.6 km-long Test Track, where they became among the first people to ride in preservation on one of the exhibits from The Greatest Gathering, former Merseyrail Class 507, No. 507001.
507001 carried Queen Elizabeth II when she officially opened the Merseyrail network in 1978. After a 46-year career, the unit was retired in November 2024 before being bought by the Class 507 Preservation Society for just £1. Volunteers and Alstom apprentices are carefully restoring the three-carriage train before it moves to a permanent home. The Class 507 Preservation Society will also receive a portion of The Greatest Gathering proceeds to help their heritage work going forward.
Time capsule
Earlier in the day, Alstom also took part in a time capsule burial ceremony with representatives from Derby College and Railway 200 at Derby Roundhouse. Built in 1839 on the site of the former Midland Railway Locomotive Works, today it is the focal point of Derby College’s Roundhouse Campus.
The contents of the capsule included:
- A letter from the Railway 200 team to the organisers of the 250th anniversary.
- A sealed personal letter from Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy to his successor in 2075.
- A newspaper dated 27 September 2025, featuring the bicentenary celebrations in North East England.
- A commemorative poem from the Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage CBE.
- A letter from the Railway 200 Charity Partnership (Alzheimer’s Research UK, Railway Benefit Fund, Railway Mission, Transport Benevolent Fund and Railway Children), which raised money to protect rail memories for the future.
Railway 200’s Emma Roberts said: “In time-honoured fashion the capsule captures the essence of what has been an amazing celebration of rail’s transformative impact on people’s lives and livelihoods. We’re delighted that it will rest in an iconic building in the new home of the railway, as the city helps to shape the future of a British invention that changed the world.
“When opened, in 50 years’ time, the Railway 200 capsule will be a poignant reminder of a landmark year in rail’s continuing development.”
Jack Rhodes, advanced apprentice at Alstom, also spoke at the event. He said:
“Seeing so many historic and modern trains together at my place of work reminded me how far the rail industry has come – and how exciting its future is.
“It truly was an honour to be part of the record-breaking event that welcomed thousands of visitors to my home city, all united in our shared passion for the railways.
“As the railway looks towards its next 200 years, it will demand new skills and fresh thinking, and I’m ready to embrace that challenge. Railway 200 has shown me that this industry never stands still and I’m truly proud to be part of its next chapter.”
Looking forward
From raising vital funds for charities and heritage groups to inspiring the next generation of railway professionals, The Greatest Gathering has proven that Railway 200 was about far more than looking back.
By opening its doors, celebrating its people, and uniting communities around a shared passion, Alstom has shown how the railway’s rich history continues to shape a dynamic and inclusive future.
As the industry looks ahead to its next 200 years, the legacy of The Greatest Gathering will endure – not only in the £100,000 raised, but in the pride, inspiration, and momentum it has generated across the railway family.
Image credit: Alstom
