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Thursday 2 Oct 2025

Railway 200 poem celebrates Birmingham’s heritage on National Poetry Day

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North West & Central

| North West & Central: Central

A special poem by Birmingham’s 2020-2022 Poet Laureate celebrating 200 years of the railway in the city has been penned for National Poetry Day.

Written by former Poet Laureate Casey Bailey, renowned for his Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games poem ‘Dear Brum’, his latest work honours Birmingham’s rich railway heritage as part of this year’s Railway 200 celebrations.

Titled ‘Down The Track’, the poem has been published on National Poetry Day (2 October) as part of the year-long national celebration of the past, present and future of the railway.

Covering important milestones in the city’s railway’s history, with a focus on Birmingham New Street, the poem covers the opening of the station in the 1850s, World War II, electrification and the development of the network.

It also marks Network Rail’s unique partnership with Severn Valley Railway and the famous Ozzy the Bull which is now a permanent resident at Birmingham New Street after being one of the stars of the Commonwealth Games.

The poem was performed by Casey on the concourse at Birmingham New Street in front of passengers and station staff and has been displayed in written form around the station.

(Watch the moment Casey Bailey reads his poem for the first time to passengers and staff at Birmingham New Street)

Denise Wetton, route director for Network Rail Central route, said: “Railway 200 is such a special occasion, and we are incredibly proud that Casey has helped us celebrate it with an amazing poem released on National Poetry Day.

“He has captured Birmingham's railway heritage and its huge importance in a beautiful and poignant way. We are immensely proud of the railway in Birmingham and the West Midlands and the role it has played in shaping our city's history, present and future."

Casey Bailey, Birmingham’s Poet Laureate between 2020 and 2022, said: “It has been great to be a part of this. I’ve always loved the railway, I do loads of writing on the train and it brings back a lot of memories of travelling to college and university. Thank you to Network Rail for asking me to write this special poem for National Poetry Day and as part of Railway 200.”

Down The Track
Take a single step from the platform, take a journey straight through time
Travel back 200 years, see modern railway designed
Back when this all seemed ridiculous, before it proved to be sublime
From industry to travel, see how this country was defined.

Birmingham New Street in the 1850s, taking over Curzon’s place
A hub in this central city, that still can’t be replaced
So many tracks you could explore, so many paths that you could trace
But this Central route has been central to, so much that we embrace.

Bursting from industrial revolution, more connected than before
Birmingham’s grand evolution, connecting to cities and to ports
The 1900s electrification, leisure travel like never before
The 1940s evacuation, a key role played in the war.

Work with Severn Valley Railway, as we celebrate our heritage
While there’s a buzz around the station, looking better than it ever did
Now the Inspiration train, will spark a dream within your mind
There are statues, telling stories, right across the Shakespeare line.

Safety, efficiency and performance, sitting at the Heart of Britain’s railway
Let the train take the strain, getting everyone home safe, every day
Chiltern main line, the Camp Hill line, the Cross City line - all great
Over a million passengers every week, 200,000 tons of freight.

This is more than just figures and facts, so much more than simple statistics
Behind all of the things that you love, is the infrastructure and logistics
So, while Ozzy the Bull entertains at the station
there’s an orange army to get you there.

So, let’s pause for a quick celebration
Modern railway for 200 years.

(Copyright 2025: Casey Bailey)

Birmingham New Street, the busiest station outside of London, has celebrated Railway 200 throughout this year.

A collection of specially created artwork by pupils and students at six schools and colleges across the city, created to celebrate the connection between the railway and some of Birmingham’s biggest brands and businesses, was unveiled outside the station in June.

On the official 200^th anniversary of the railway - 27 September - there were giveaways and an exhibition celebrating Railway 200 on the station’s concourse.

Last month, in conjunction with Birmingham Heritage Week, and marking the tenth anniversary of the redevelopment of Birmingham New Street which opened its doors on 15 September 2015, there were exclusive tours of the station’s tunnels and the famous Mailbox Tunnel which helped to transport letters and parcels between Royal Mail’s sorting office and the rail network.

The West Midlands was also the first and second stops for the unique Railway 200 ‘Inspiration’ train, which arrived at Severn Valley Railway in Kidderminster at the end of June and then moved on to Birmingham Moor Street in July.

The train, now a quarter of the way into its year-long tour of Britain, celebrates the past, present and the future of rail, and is designed to inspire schoolchildren and others to consider a career in rail by highlighting the wide range of different roles available in the industry.

You can find out more about the Railway 200 celebration at www.railway200.co.uk

More information about Casey Bailey is available at www.caseybailey.co.uk

Passengers can plan their journeys and check before they travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk