A total of 200 ‘blue plaques’ have been displayed for the first time to mark two centuries of railway history in the South East.
The unveiling took place during community celebrations at Lewes town hall on Friday 1 August.
The ‘blue plaques’ highlight people, places and even animals who have a connection to the development of the railways – 100 plaques show past links to train lines and a further 100 illustrate modern jobs to help recruit the next generation of railway staff.
Among the more famous names to feature are: Queen Victoria, railway engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, crime writer Dame Agatha Christie, Vietnam’s first president Ho Chi Minh, Winne-the-Pooh author A.A. Milne and Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb.
There are also plenty of stories of lesser-known people from station staff and signallers to a wild west performer and WH Smith bookstall assistant.
The date of the Rail Fair 200 event – 1.8.25 – was chosen to acknowledge 200 years of the modern railways since the Stockton & Darlington Railway opened in 1825.
Research and design was led by Danny Coope from Street of Blue Plaques.
