Doncaster, UK – 17 November 2025: The Gresley Society is delighted to announce that The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded a significant grant to support its year-long celebrations marking the 150^th anniversary of Sir Nigel Gresley’s birth in 2026. This funding will enable the Trust to deliver an enhanced programme of events commemorating the visionary railway engineer, whose designs include the famous steam locomotives Flying Scotsman, Cock o’ the North, and Mallard. The celebrations, under the strapline “A Legacy of Innovation, Speed and Elegance”, are organised in partnership with Doncaster City Council and other railway heritage organisations.

The grant will directly fund key elements of the programme, including the digitisation of the Trust’s extensive archive for wider public access, the production of a short film on Gresley’s life and achievements, and the creation of a new permanent exhibition at Doncaster’s Danum Gallery.

The centrepiece of the celebrations remains the Symposium and Gala Dinner on Saturday 20 June 2026 at the Mansion House, Doncaster. The day-long symposium will feature expert presentations on Gresley’s career, from his early days with the Great Northern Railway to his influence on the modern railway. The evening’s 1930s-themed gala dinner will evoke the glamour of LNER’s express trains, with menus inspired by ‘The Flying Scotsman’, ‘The Silver Jubilee’, and ‘The Coronation’. Tickets for the symposium are £25 (members) and £30 (non-members), while the gala dinner is £75 (members) and £85 (non-members), with limited spaces available.

Further highlights include a Gresley-theme to the Festival of British Railway Modelling at Doncaster Racecourse on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 February 2026; a special Thanksgiving Service and Talk on Saturday 11 April 2026, at St. Peter’s Church, Netherseal, Derbyshire – held close to the 85^th anniversary of Sir Nigel Gresley’s death and burial at St. Peter’s Church on 9 April 1941; and a commemorative logo for use by partner organisations. The Trust also cares for Gresley class N2 No. 1744, the oldest surviving Gresley locomotive, currently undergoing overhaul at the North Norfolk Railway and Gresley Buffet Lounge Car No. 1852 – the sole surviving vehicle from the 1938 Flying Scotsman train and subject of a future Heritage Fund bid.

Philip Benham MBE, FCILT, Chairman of The Gresley Society Trust, said:  

“The Heritage Fund’s generous support is a tremendous endorsement of Sir Nigel Gresley’s enduring legacy. His pioneering work revolutionised rail travel with innovation, speed and elegance, and this grant ensures our celebrations will inspire new generations. We are profoundly grateful and look forward to sharing his story through accessible, engaging initiatives.”

To register for the symposium and gala dinner, complete the RSVP form by 30 April 2026. For full details, visit gresley.org or email .