Local dignitaries at the George Stephenson Civic Service at the Holy Trinity Church in Chesterfield.

Hundreds of visitors packed Holy Trinity Church – Stephenson’s final resting place – for the two-day event marking 200 years since the dawn of the modern railway. The celebrations formed part of a major heritage project supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and backed by local and national partners including EMR, Cross Country Rail, the Raymond Ross Fund and Graysons Solicitors.

Saturday’s George Stephenson Day featured talks, displays and family activities that brought the engineer’s story to life, while Sunday’s commemoration service welcomed distinguished guests including the Duke of Devonshire, Sir Andrew Haines OBE, chief executive of Network Rail, and BBC Look North’s Tom Ingall.

Peter Clark, managing partner at Graysons, said:“George Stephenson’s vision helped transform Britain’s landscape and industry, and it’s inspiring to see his story celebrated with such passion here in Chesterfield. We’re proud to support a project that connects local people with their heritage and ensures Stephenson’s achievements continue to inspire future generations.”

The wider project will see Holy Trinity Church redeveloped into both a place of worship and a visitor destination exploring the town’s rail and industrial history. Planned developments include a new visitor facility, interpretation displays, education programmes and volunteering opportunities.

The project will also commemorate the 40th anniversary of the miners’ strike, connecting the town’s past industries with today’s conversations around sustainability and the future of engineering.