RAILWAY 200 : A WYLAM CELEBRATION
Original songs, stories & art - a community celebration of Wylam’s railway history
Wylam Methodist Church, 1 Chapel Lane, Wylam, NE41 8AA
Saturday 8th February, Doors & Cafe 7.00pm, Performance begins 7.30pm
Price: £10.00 Adults, Under 18s Free (with ticket booking)
Total Tickets: 140
Welcome to our 2025 Festival finale ! Tonight to round off our events for this year we bring together a creative gala showcase performance of song, story and art to celebrate Railway200 and the significant part that Wylam played in the origin of the railways. In 2025 events and activities will be happening all around the UK to mark 200 years since our local son George Stephenson and his innovative engine ‘Locomotion No. 1’ pulled the first passenger train along the Stockton to Darlington Railway - recognised by many as the birth of the modern railway. Wylam’s railway links are rich and varied. Alongside Stephenson the village also produced pioneering railway engineers like Timothy Hackworth and George Hedley and has claim to Wylam Station being the oldest station in continuous use anywhere in the world.
Partnering with Wylam Parish Council and Tyne Valley Community Rail Partnership (TVCRP), Wylam Winter Tales Festival commissioned three strands of creativity to explore our village history and leave a creative legacy to mark this important national anniversary. As part of the programme this evening you’ll hear the debut of an original Wylam Song Cycle written by singer-songwriters Gareth Davies-Jones and Bronwen Davies-Jones, arranged by Simon Davies-Fidler and performed by a special choir comprised of Tyne Valley Voices and a selection of pupils from our local schools. You’ll hear the debut of the Wylam Story, a special tale that weaves river and railway together, written and performed by storytellers Malcolm Green and Dominic Kelly. We will also unveil the design for new signage produced by artist Steve Pardue to be installed at Wylam Station’s East and West bound platforms marking the village’s railway history and leaving visitors in no doubt that they have arrived at the birtthplace of George Stephenson. All our artists have been working with local schools and collecting people’s stories in the village through this past Autumn term to develop this new material to share with you this evening.
Come and celebrate the wonder and significance of our village story with us this evening and help round off Wylam Winter Tales 2025 in style. Please note we will be recording audio and video of the artist performances at this event.
