Industry News

Excitement is building for S&DR200’s celebrations across County Durham and Tees Valley as the festival counts down to the Stockton & Darlington Railway’s 200th anniversary on 27 September 2025.

The festival is unveiling a week of unmissable spectacles that will celebrate the region and its historic legacy. This highly ambitious project – five years in the making – centres around the newly restored replica of Locomotion No. 1, accompanied by the passenger carriage Experiment and traditional coal waggons. Over three days (26, 27 and 28 September 2025), the replica engine will run on sections of the original Stockton & Darlington Railway line, cheered on by thousands of spectators along the route.

There will be a number of designated locations to safely view the engine on its journey, and spectators are reminded to act responsibly and not trespass on the railway to view the engine outside of the designated locations.

Spectators will also be able to enjoy a specially curated cultural and historical programme which includes a series of unique commissioned events, performances, and activities for all ages, taking place at key points along the journey. In addition, exhibitions will be held across the region’s museums, offering even more opportunities to explore and celebrate.

The inaugural journey of Locomotion No. 1 on the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1825 represented a major turning point in history, and two hundred years later, visitors will be able to take part in S&DR200’s special festivities marking this extraordinary milestone. 

The Stockton & Darlington Railway was established as a 26-mile-long mainline to transport coal and other mixed goods from the mines of south Durham to the River Tees at Stockton, via Shildon, Darlington and Yarm. The first steam locomotive to run on the line was called Locomotion No. 1. The key figures of the Stockton & Darlington Railway included investors and company directors Edward Pease, a retired wool merchant from Darlington, his son Joseph Pease and Jonathan Backhouse from the Darlington bank of the same name and leading engineers of the time George Stephenson and Timothy Hackworth. 

From March this year, S&DR200 has rolled out a packed programme which continues until the end of the year with exhibitions, outdoor performances, new art commissions and events geared towards people of all ages. There are many ways to make the most of a visit to County Durham and Tees Valley and the anniversary celebrations as a family. This autumn, visitors can also explore a whole host of indoor and outdoor activities and expect one-in-a-lifetime experiences. 

Hopetown Darlington, Locomotion in Shildon (part of the Science Museum Group), and Preston Park Museum in Stockton-on-Tees are three attractions situated on the original S&DR route. Alongside The Story in Durham City, they make up the festival’s major museum partners.

S&DR200 is being delivered by Darlington Borough Council, Durham County Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Major funders include Tees Valley Combined Authority, Arts Council England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England and Heritage Railway.

S&DR200 is partnered with Network Rail and Railway 200, a year-long campaign celebrating 200 years of the modern railway. Sponsors include LNER, Hitachi, Amazon UK and Caswell’s Group.

ANNIVERSARY JOURNEY

S&DR200 celebrations will include a re-enactment of the first journey on the S&DR, taking place on 26, 27 and 28 September 2025. A newly restored replica of Locomotion No. 1 will run on sections of the original Stockton & Darlington Railway line between Shildon, Darlington and Stockton over three days. Spectators will be able to see the train at designated locations. 

The final leg of the Anniversary Journey, from Darlington to Stockton, is not yet confirmed. S&DR200 is working with colleagues at Network Rail to resolve technical and timetable challenges. We hope to be able to confirm the full plan in the coming weeks.