The unveiling took place on Friday 19 December, where invited guests gathered to see the new name and striking design revealed, joined by an enthusiastic crowd celebrating the milestone.

The event was attended by Andrew McLean, Assistant Director and Head Curator at the National Railway Museum alongside TPE colleagues to mark the occasion and celebrate the railway’s historic legacy.

The named Nova 1 train will now operate on the Liverpool–Newcastle route, carrying the Railway 200 tribute across the North and bringing the anniversary directly to communities and passengers.

As the newly named train pulled into the station, the conductor told passengers they were onboard the new “1825” train, creating a real buzz.

The design prominently features the date “1825”, marking two centuries since the world’s first modern passenger railway journey.

The story of the modern railway began in the North East with the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway on 27 September 1825, highlighting the region’s pioneering role in shaping rail travel and Britain’s railway heritage.

The rail operator has also recently increased the number of trains running through Newcastle daily from its December timetable change, with 2,000 extra seats per day between Newcastle and Edinburgh.

Graham Meiklejohn, Head of Regional Development, Stakeholders & Communities at TransPennine Express, said:

“We’re delighted to unveil our Railway 200 train here in Newcastle—right in the region where the modern railway began.

“Our Nova 1 will carry this tribute across the North, connecting people and places while celebrating the legacy of Britain’s railways and the role they continue to play in people’s lives today.”

Andrew McLean, Assistant Director and Head Curator at the National Railway Museum said:

“As this momentous year for rail draws to a close, it’s a privilege to be involved in the naming of this train here in Newcastle, the city of George and Robert Stephenson and where they constructed Locomotion, the locomotive which hauled that first train on the Stockton & Darlington Railway way back in 1825.”

This year, the train operator has marked Railway 200 with activities across its network — from supporting the Scarborough Big Bench event, where more than 200 people sat side-by-side on the world’s longest station bench to celebrate rail history, to backing the Yorkshire Coast by Rail heritage exhibition and the student-created artwork unveiled at Selby — celebrating 200 years of rail innovation, progress and connectivity.