The commemorative Miniature Sheet issued by Great Britain in 2025 honoured the 200th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway – the World’s first steam-powered public railway. The four First Class stamps capture milestone events in the history of the Railway. From left to right the stamps show: The Railway’s opening ceremony in 1825; Locomotion No.1 at Darlington in 1890; The Centenary in 1925; and a replica of Locomotion No.1 riding the rails in 1975. The stamps are set against a sepia-coloured backdrop featuring the issue’s title in typography taken from a Stockton & Darlington Railway Company share certificate, and an illustration of rolling stock on the Stockton & Darlington Railway.
Also in this issue these six special stamps showcase the origins and evolution of British locomotives across two centuries, with evocative photography and elegant illustrations that bring to life the iconic steam machines that powered the Industrial Revolution. The six First Class landscape stamps were presented as vertical se-tenant pairs. In chronological order the stamps show: Locomotion No. 1 at the opening of the first steam-powered public railway in 1825; Rocket, the locomotive that won the Rainhill Trials, helping launch the railway age, 1829; City of Truro, unofficially timed at 100mph in 1904; Mallard became the fastest steam locomotive ever in 1938; the locomotive Duchess of Hamilton was exhibited the New York World’s Fair, 1939; and Evening Star – the last steam locomotive built for British Railways, 1960.
