Stations in Hampshire and Surrey are marking 200 years of the railway with community events, murals and a touring exhibition train.

The programme, known as Railway 200, commemorates the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825 — widely regarded as the birth of the modern railway.

Across the South Western network, 90 events were held during 2025, attracting 9,478 visitors and supported by 282 volunteers who contributed an estimated 3,602 hours.

The Railway 200 exhibition train Inspiration returned to the network this month with stops in Kingston and Salisbury, drawing around 3,000 visitors across the two locations. The train previously welcomed 2,263 people at Southampton Central during a December visit, one of the most successful dates of its nationwide tour.

In Hampshire, celebrations have included new murals at New Milton, Ashurst and Southampton Central, alongside anniversary plaques and birthday events at stations including Brockenhurst, Hook and Whitchurch.

At Alton, a statue of Jane Austen was unveiled during the anniversary year, linking the author’s 250th birthday with the town’s railway heritage.

In Surrey, one of the flagship legacy projects has been the reflective garden at Brookwood Cemetery, beside Brookwood station.

The cemetery was once served by the historic London Necropolis Railway, which ran funeral trains from a dedicated part of London Waterloo between 1854 and 1941.

The new garden, created on previously unused land, provides a quiet space to remember railway colleagues and loved ones. The first commemorative plaques are due to be installed later this year.

Elsewhere in the county, Horsley station marked its 140th anniversary and 100 years of electrification, Guildford station celebrated its 180th birthday, and Woking marked its 187th year. A family fun-day was also held in Haslemere.

Paula Aldridge, community rail manager for South Western Railway, said: “Just as the railway has done for the last 200 years, our celebrations have brought local communities together, and we are very proud to have played our part in the national festivities.

“Thanks to a wide range of partners and volunteers all across our network, there are permanent reminders of the celebrations through murals and special plaques, but more importantly, we’ve created some very happy memories.

“It’s hard to believe we’ve been celebrating for over a year, but we’re not finished yet. Hopefully we can inspire a new generation to join the railway and continue its legacy.”

South Western Railway has published a report detailing its Railway 200 activities across Hampshire, Surrey and the wider network.