Steam trains and poppies: a centenary weekend to mark 100 years of The Poppy Factory
17 July 2026 · By Boroughly editorial — AI-assisted, human-reviewed.
On the weekend of 26 and 27 September, Hampton Kempton Waterworks Railway will run a special heritage event celebrating the centenary of The Poppy Factory, the Richmond-based veterans' charity that has been helping former servicemen and women into civilian employment since 1926.
The historic Darent locomotive — first commissioned in 1903 — will carry passengers around the Hanworth Loop track, decorated with poppy wreaths and bouquets. A cavalcade of historic trains will also run across the weekend. Onboard, visitors will hear a specially recorded audio commentary tracing the history of The Poppy Factory, and a display of the large Remembrance wreaths used in national services each November will be on show.
Information boards produced with the Museum of Richmond will give visitors more background on the charity, which today supports more than 1,200 veterans and family members across the country.
The event is a rare chance to ride the Hanworth Loop — a route not widely known outside railway enthusiast circles — while supporting a much-loved local charity. Tickets and further details are expected on the council's events page; check back closer to the date. Richmond Council news