Railway Pioneers at Hopetown

S&DR200 presents Railway Pioneers – Celebrating the Railway Rockstars of the Past

In celebration of start of the S&DR200 bicentennial anniversary festival, three iconic locomotives will be on show in the historic Grade II listed Carriage Works right here at Hopetown Darlington.

The locomotives are showcasing the advancements of rail technology in the early 19th century as well as the engineering innovation which led to the opening of the S&DR. These early locomotives were critical to future rail success, and Railway Pioneers is a unique opportunity to see them all in one place.

The original preserved Locomotion No.1 will be returning to Darlington as one of these engines. This iconic engine, designed and driven by George Stephenson on the historical first journey in 1825, is an integral part of Darlington’s history, included both on the town’s coat of arms and the football team’s crest.

Joining Locomotion No.1 are two other classic locomotives – the Pen-y-Darren, designed by Richard Trevithick in 1804, and Steam Elephant, designed by John Buddle and William Chapman in 1815.

Loans for Railway Pioneers – celebrating the rockstars of the past: National Railway Museum, Beamish – The Living Museum Of The North, Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, Institute of Mechanical Engineering.

Funders for Railway Pioneers – celebrating the rockstars of the past: Arts Council England.

With thanks to: National Railway Museum, The Story, Durham Archives, Common Rooms, IMechE.

• 16 April 2025 – 22 June 2025
• 10:00-16:30
• Prices from: Free