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The ‘’’Rail '''Rail 150 celebrations’’’ ''' celebrations took place at the large railway wagon works in Shildon, Co. Durham, in August 1975. It was held to mark the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1825.

It comprised an exhibition of locomotives, and rolling stock and other relics from 24 to 30 August, followed by a ‘Grand Steam Cavalcade’ of locomotives on 31 August from Shildon to Heighington.<ref>Stockton & Darlington Railway, 1825: 1975 : Rail 150 Exhibition and Steam Cavalcade : souvenir guide, ISBN : 0950422304</ref>.

Other events included the opening of North Road Station Museum at Darlington and the Timothy Hackworth Museum at Shildon.<ref>[https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/17676720.organiser-celebrations-rail-150-dies/ White, Andrew, ‘Organiser of celebrations for Rail 150 dies’, The Northern Echo, 31 May 2019] (Retrieved 17 January 2023)</ref> It also coincided with the opening of the [[National Railway Museum]] at Leeman Road, York<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Railway_Museum#Growth_1975%E2%80%932000 National Railway Museum] on Wikipedia</ref>.

In the During summer of 1974 the SVR received a request from the organisers requested to provide a number of items of SVR rolling stockfor the forthcoming event. The original request was for five locomotives; [[LMS Ivatt Class 4 43106 | 43106]], [[70000|70000 Britannia]], [[LMS Stanier 8F 48773 | 8233]], [[LMR 600 Gordon | 600 Gordon]] and [[GWR 813 Saddle Tank| 813]], together with four carriages; [[GWR 1145 Toplight 'Snake C' Passenger Brake|GWR 1145]], [[GWR 5883 Brake Third | GWR 5883]], [[LMS 12992 Corridor Third | LMS 12992]] and [[LNER 24068 Composite Corridor Brake | LNER 10078]].<ref>SVR News 32</ref>

On 28 July [[LMR 600 Gordon | 600 A total of 65 locomotives had originally been planned to be exhibited at Shildon, although this was eventually reduced to around 35 by BR inspections and non-readiness. The SVR's only non-attendee was 70000 Britannia, whose restoration including firebox repairs was still in progress (and would not be completed until 1978). Work on transforming Gordon]] travelled light engine from a working locomotive into a 'museum exhibit' began in mid-June and included a repaint into fully lined Longmoor Blue livery. The time for preparing the SVR's other attendees was even more limited, with both 43106 and 8233 in regular SVR service until early July before cleaning and painting could begin. At the same time BR needed the locomotives to be delivered earlier than anticipated, due to their difficulties on finding sufficient crews with steam experience in an area of the country which had been 'steam-free' for almost eight years. For several weeks all three locos were ''…worked on furiously in Bridgnorth yard'' with "...''a great deal of weekend, weekday and evening activity''."<ref>SVR News 36, p.30., ''Shildon 1975, Alan Wilkinson</ref> GWR 813, which had spent a number of years undergoing restoration, was re-assembled and cosmetically restored, including painting and lettering at Bewdley, travelling to Shildon by road to Urlay Nook near Stocktonappear as a static exhibit.<ref>SVR News 36175</ref>

On 11 August [[LMS Stanier 8F 48773 | 8233]] piloted [[LMS Ivatt Class 4 43106 | 43106]] (also in steam), together with carriages [[LMS 26986 Brake Third Corridor|LMS 26986]] and then residents [[Carriages formerly resident on the SVR <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">PT26 GWR 813 at Shildon.jpg| Clapham Buffet 9631]] and [[LNER 4236 Gangwayed Passenger Brake | LNER 4236]]. GWR 813 at Shildon</gallery>

None of the four SVR carriages originally requested appeared at the event. Restoration work on 5883 was unfinished, with its place at Shildon taken by [[Carriages formerly resident on the SVR | 'Clapham' Buffet 9631]] whose restoration had taken priority.<ref name="SVRNews36">SVR News 36</ref> [[GWR 813 Saddle TankLNER 4236 Gangwayed Passenger Brake | 813LNER 4236]], which had been cosmetically restored for arrived on the eventSVR in April 1975, was hastily repainted into LNER brown "imitation varnished teak" livery, went by roadproviding an LNER representative in place of 10078. [[LMS 26986 Brake Third Corridor|LMS 26986]] was touched in and revarnished before replacing LMS 12992.

Carriages On 28 July 1975 600 Gordon travelled light engine from [[GWR 5883 Brake Third | GWR 5883]] and [[LMS 12992 Corridor Third | LMS 12992Bridgnorth]] to Urlay Nook RN Armaments Depot, Eaglescliffe.<ref name="SVRNews36"/> Prior to it appearing, SVR staff were also requested but in able to finish off the event paintwork that they did not take part. Restoration work on 5883 was unfinished, with restoration of 9631 having taken priorityhave time to complete prior to it leaving Bridgnorth.<ref>SVR News 36[https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=410375269097159&set=gm.10151933454776989 Andy Williams' Facebook post in Unofficial Severn Valley Railway Facebook group, 17 January 2014] (Retrieved 18 January 2023)</ref>

It was followed on 11 August by LMS 8233 piloting 43106 (also in steam), together with carriages LMS 26986, 'Clapham' Buffet 9631 and LNER 4236. The [[Image Collections#David_Cooke_Collection | David Cooke Collection]] includes images of 8233 piloting 43106 on the three -coach train [https://www.flickr.com/photos/60790501@N04/8374935276/ leaving Kidderminster station] and on the [https://www.flickr.com/photos/60790501@N04/8369428331/ mainline].

In the cavalcade, 600 hauled ex-Metropolitan Railway electric locomotive No. 12 'Sarah Siddons'.<ref name="railcentre">[http://www.railcentre.co.uk/RailHistory/Rail150/Pages/Page2.html Railcentre.co.uk] (Retrieved 17 January 2023)</ref> Then future (and now former) SVR residents [[GWR 6960 Raveningham Hall MR Midland Compound 1000 | 6960 Raveningham Hall1000]] and , [[LMS Stanier Jubilee 45690 Leander | 45690 5690 Leander]] and [[GWR 6960 Raveningham Hall | 6960 Raveningham Hall]] also took part.<ref name="railcentre"/> <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">Midland_Compound_1000.jpg | Midland Railway 1000 by the coal drops at Shildon</gallery> After taking part in Cavalcade, 43106 returned to the Railway "''under its own steam''" with 600 Gordon and the three coaches. 8233 did not return to the SVR until 6 September "''due to circumstances beyond the control of the Severn Valley Railway''", spending a week in the BR diesel depot adjoining the newly opened National Railway Museum at York<ref>SVR News 37, 38</ref>. ===Mainline excursion trains===As part of the Rail 150 celebrations excursion trains were run from various parts of the country on Sundays in September 1975, with steam haulage between Sheffield and Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Serendipitously, on 14 September [[BR Class 52 D1013 Western Ranger | D1013 Western Ranger]] (still then in BR service) hauled one such train, The Bristolian-Tynesider, from Bristol Temple Meads to Birmingham New Street and return<ref>[https://features.rcts.org.uk/haulage-highlights/rail-150-cavalcade-1975/ Railway Correspondence and Travel Society] (Retrieved 17 January 2023)</ref><ref>[https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/70s/ht1975.html 'The Railtour Files - 1975', Six Bells Junction website]</ref>.