•    Biggest railway heritage mass participation event ever - more than 50 railways and up to 200 locos to sound off with whistles and horns to start year-long celebration (local activity listed in Notes to Editors).
•    Overseas railways, train modellers Hornby, commemorative loco 910 and Thomas & Friends™ to join in.
•    Public invited to get involved and share activity on social media.

A celebratory cacophony of train locomotive whistles and horns at midday on 1 January 2025 will signal the start of the 200th anniversary of the modern railway.

The Railway 200 Whistle-Up, spearheaded by the Heritage Railway Association (HRA), will involve more than 50 heritage railways in the UK and abroad blowing the whistles of nearly 200 vintage steam and diesel locomotives to herald a year-long celebration.  Railways in other countries, including Holland, South Africa and Sierra Leone, will be taking part, some with British-built locos.  The HRA claims it will be the biggest railway heritage mass participation event ever.

Train engine horns at mainline stations will also sound off at the appointed hour to welcome in the anniversary year. 

At the other end of the scale, train modellers Hornby will be getting a variety of model trains to toot and whistle on their track layouts.  There will also be a special appearance on social media from everyone's favourite blue engine, Thomas the Tank Engine.

Community rail groups will be participating in the Whistle-Up too.

Everyone is invited to join in by recording themselves, family and friends blowing whistles, sounding horns or ringing bells at noon on New Year’s Day and posting on social media, using #Railway200 and #WhistleUp200.  If no whistles, horns or bells are to hand, try a Christmas party blower or popper, or just pucker your lips and whistle!

Further information:  https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/global-whistle-up-on-new-years-day-signals-start-of-rails-200th-anniversary-draft