Plans to celebrate 200 years since the rocket train between Liverpool and Manchester have been announced

A new Liverpool Cultural Strategy plan has announced a series of events celebrating 200 years since the rocket train between Liverpool and Manchester.

The project is named ‘Rocket 200: all aboard’ and will celebrate the 200^th anniversary of the worlds first inter- city passenger railway between Liverpool and Manchester.

modern train from Liverpool to Manchester- By Rachael Buttery

The Rocket 200 partnership is being awarded £200,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to develop plans for a programme that is planned to take place in 2029-2030.

Harry Doyle and Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture director of the Liverpool charity Aspire hopes that the new cultural strategy plan will “champion creativity”.

He said: “There are real opportunities for the city region to be at the forefront of conversations with the UK Government about transformational approaches to investing in culture.”

“This strategy is for people across the culture sector and those who value and champion culture’s ability to make a difference as part of public health, community cohesion and education interventions.”

“We will continue to use culture to give a voice to those who need it. We are excited, committed, and we are ready, here’s to the next five years.”

The original railway terminal in 1930 was located at Crown Street in Liverpool, and was the first inner- city passenger railway to run to another city, however it was closed six years later and now is Crown Street park.

Commissioned by Culture Liverpool, the Cultural Strategy 2025-2030 is aiming to drive further investment into the cities investments into historical events and expand on the city’s multiculturalism.

The new strategy says the series of events celebrating the intercity railway line will aim to celebrate the city’s importance of industrial revolution and build relationships with the neighbouring city of Manchester.

It states: “Themes including railways, locomotion, passenger travel, arts and culture, engineering, built heritage, landscape, community histories, and a shared sense of place along the historic route.”

Culture Liverpool and Liverpool City Council are already engaged in planning the development of a programme of events with partners including NML, Metal, University of Liverpool, St Helens Council and - at the other end of the line - Manchester City Council, the People’s History Museum, Science Museum and Home.”

Claire McColgan, director of Culture Liverpool also said in the strategy statement that ‘culture drives Liverpool’s economy’ which was made clear after Eurovision in 2023, generating a net £54.8 million economic increase to the city.

Other works of Culture Liverpool include a Chinease New Year workshop in 2026 as part of the Cultural Strategy.

She said: “The core belief on which this Cultural Strategy is based is simple - we believe equally in participation and in global positioning.

“Collectively, we do amazing things, and we are only getting started.”

The Rocket 200: All Aboard project is still being developed and a full plan for the event is said not to be confirmed until 2029.

By Rachael Buttery