BGA 23rd Annual Conference 2026 and AGM
Join the BGA Annual Conference for a day of international expert insights, major UK infrastructure updates, cutting-edge research, and networking with geotechnical professionals.
A 200-year journey of innovation
2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the modern railway. A British innovation that’s continued its journey across the globe. Through a year-long series of activities and events, Railway 200 will explore how rail shaped Britain and the world.
And, as today’s railway modernises and gears up for growth, Railway 200 will also look to the future, encouraging more people to take the train and inviting the next generation of pioneering talent to join the railway and become the history-makers of tomorrow.
Meet our railway engineers
Banners showing civil engineers working in the rail sector were on display at One Great George Street as part of Railway 200, a campaign to celebrate two centuries of rail travel.
Engineers from the UK and abroad, working in different specialisms within rail were showcased as part of the campaign.
Click on the images below to view their profiles.
Attend an ICE event
Join one of our events and support Railway 200.
The journey
We've come a long way since the first passenger railway, Stockton and Darlington, opened in 1825.
Learn about some of the most impressive examples of rail projects in the timeline.
1825
Stockton and Darlington
The Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) was the first passenger railway to use steam trains to transport passengers.
1830
Liverpool and Manchester Railway
The railway was the first to carry mail, the first to have a signalling system and the first to be fully timetabled.
1863
London Underground
The Tube, launched in 1863 as the Metropolitan Railway, ran 3 miles between Paddington and Farringdon - marking the world's first underground railway with stations at each end.
1885
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway was a major infrastructure project to connect east and west. Although initially intended to carry freight, it was for decades the only practical way to travel across Canada
1994
Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is the longest undersea tunnel in the world at 31.5 miles long of which, 23.5miles are under the English Channel.
2007
High Speed 1
High Speed 1 was the first new railway to be built in England for over 100 years. Trains reach speeds of up to 185mph on the line.
2019
Sydney Metro
Sydney Metro is Australia's biggest public transport project. Currently under construction, it will be a 66km fully-automated railway system with 31 stations.
2022
Crossrail
Linking 40 stations the line provided the biggest increase in central London’s train capacity ever delivered by a single engineering project.
Explore our railway projects
Since the first passenger railway in 1825, railways have become an important part of life throughout the world. Explore railway projects from around the world to see how they have connected communities and helped transform our lives.
Meet our railway engineers, past
Hear first-hand stories about how civil engineers built the first railways.
and present
... and from current civil engineers on how the railway industry has helped to change people's lives.
How can I become a civil or infrastructure engineer?
If Railway 200 has inspired you to explore careers in the rail industry, start your journey into the industry, here
The first public railway: Stockton and Darlington
The Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) was the first public railway intended for steam locomotive use, operating across north east England from 1825 to 1863. The S&DR’s first line connected coal mines at Shildon in County Durham to Darlington.
Railway news
Explore our latest railway related news.
