London North Eastern Railway (LNER) has commissioned a poem to celebrate the bicentenary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway (S&DR).

The poem, We Will Carry You, was written by Darlington poet Lizzie Lovejoy to mark the culmination of a year-long collaboration between the LNER and S&DR200.

We Will Carry You reflects, in verse, journeys people make by rail, which may be everyday travel to work or a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and highlights the role that train travel plays in people’s lives.

LNER also commissioned a short film to accompany the poem, in which Alex Brown, a North Yorkshire-based videographer, brings the poem’s words to life by highlighting the spirit, heritage, and human stories of rail travel through the ages.

It also looks back on Bradford and its year as the UK City of Culture 2025, the year when LNER launched extra services to the city.

With the Stockton & Darlington Railway on its doorstep, the LNER played a central role in national and international celebrations that honoured the railway’s legacy and the continuing impact of rail travel today.

For LNER, one of the highlights of the year was the unveiling of an Azuma train emblazoned with a livery featuring Darlington and key elements of the town’s heritage.

Darlington station was also host to a replica of Locomotion No. 1, which featured in celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of the modern passenger railway.

A once-in-a-generation moment came when Locomotion No. 1 pulled alongside the LNER Azuma Darlington, to echo the first passenger journey made by George Stephenson’s original engine 200 years ago.

“2025 has been a truly remarkable year for the railway and for everyone proud to be part of its story. From welcoming Locomotion No. 1 back to Darlington, to unveiling our commemorative Azuma livery and helping launch the S&DR200 festival, it has been a privilege for LNER to honour the past while looking firmly to the future. We Will Carry You beautifully captures what rail means to millions of people – not just as a mode of transport, but as part of life’s most important moments. It’s a fitting way to close a historic year and celebrate the legacy of the Stockton & Darlington Railway.”

Stuart Thomas, Communications Director at LNER