The Greatest Gathering

They called it The Greatest Gathering —
and it lived up to the name.

Two hundred years of railway history
drawn together
for three golden days in August, 2025.

From the proud, early locomotives
breathing steam like whispers of the past,
to the gleam of the newest innovations
promising the future —
we saw it all.

Derby stood at the heart of it,
Alstom’s gates flung wide,
welcoming thousands
with the warmth of old friends.

Steam, diesel, electric —
past, present, and future —
shoulder to shoulder,
sharing the same summer air.

It was never just for trainspotters.
Families wandered,
railway staff beamed,
friends gathered under the banners of two centuries.

There was something for every eye and every hand —
content creators, artists, and I
all capturing moments
to send rippling far beyond the yard.

And oh, the senses sang —
the cry of a steam whistle,
feet crunching on ballast,
the mingling scents of oil, smoke,
and journeys yet to come.

It wrapped around you —
sight, sound, scent —
until you could taste the history in the air.

I left with my heart light,
a smile etched deep,
knowing I had stood in the middle
of the greatest gathering of the year.