Industry News

Organisers of the S&DR200 festival have announced that the Anniversary Journey, the flagship week of the 12 month celebrations, was a phenomenal success, attracting an estimated 100,000 visitors to County Durham and Tees Valley. Visitors travelled from across the globe — including America, Europe, Africa, Japan, and Australia — to celebrate in this historic and inspiring tribute to the birthplace of the modern railway. 

The reenactment of the historic journey of September 27th, 1825, brought the Locomotion and its wagons vividly back to life. Staged as a powerful series of set-piece moments over ten days, the event unfolded along the full 26-mile route offering thousands of spectators the chance to witness and be part of the drama as it happened.

The 10 days of celebrations marked a defining moment in the region’s history — 200 years since the first journey on the Stockton & Darlington Railway — and brought together communities, volunteers, artists, and railway enthusiasts in a joyful tribute to innovation, heritage, and collective pride.

Niccy Hallifax, SDR200 Festival Director, said:

“The S&DR200 anniversary celebrations were a powerful recognition of our legacy, our people, and our future. From the thousands of people and media outlets who attended the various activities, to the communities and volunteers who took part, the energy and pride were truly inspiring. We’re incredibly proud of this region and its pioneering heritage — this celebration was a fitting tribute to everything we stand for and once again showcased us to the world. But we’re not finished yet. There’s so much more to come in the months ahead — including a new exhibition at Preston Park Museum, exciting public art installations as part of the Discovery Trail game, a world record attempt, and of course WOW NE and the full WOW Legacy programme. The festival still has something for everyone to get involved in and enjoy.” 

Highlights of the S&DR200 anniversary celebrations included a Royal visit from His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh to Locomotion in Shildon and Hopetown in Darlington, where he toured exhibitions and met the team behind the replica of Locomotion No. 1. The replica itself recreated the original 1825 journey, crossing the historic Skerne Bridge in a moving tribute to railway history. The week culminated in Ghost Train: The Arrival finale in Stockton, a spectacular outdoor event that lit up the town with sound, light, and storytelling. Visitors also enjoyed exhibitions such as STEAM to the Future and Titans of Steam at Hopetown, Darlington, and a live mural at Preston Park Museum. The celebrations were attended by Dame Sue Snowdon DCVO, Lord-Lieutenant of County Durham, the Japanese Ambassador and government ministers, with a special Hitachi rail gala dinner marking the international significance of the occasion. A standout moment came during the Midnight Special at Bank Top Station, where history and present day came together as an Azuma train and the replica no1 stood side by side marking 200 years of innovation . Across the region, community-led events, performances, and installations brought people together in celebration of the North East’s pioneering legacy. 

Reuben Kench, Chair of the SDR200 Board, added:

We were honoured to welcome His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, and the Ambassador of Japan to Locomotion Museum and Hopetown Museum, to witness the recreation of that original 1825 journey.  Their visits reaffirmed the global significance and lasting impact of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in shaping the modern world. His Royal Highness’ presence was a powerful tribute to the legacy of the early railway pioneers. Restaging the original journey required a lot of organisations to work together, in particular Network Rail who were aboard for every yard of the 26 mile route. We are also incredibly grateful to LNER and Hitachi for the special events they created to mark this momentous occasion — a true celebration of heritage, innovation, and international collaboration.”

Rachel Evans, HR Director UK & Ireland, said: 

“Hitachi Rail is proud to partner with S&DR200 for this once-in-a-generation celebration of the region and rail industry. Seeing families, schoolchildren and rail enthusiasts enjoy the Locomotion No.1 replica on our factory test track has been a real highlight. From our Factory Open Day and saving Heighington Station to showcasing cutting-edge battery technology at Hopetown, the festival perfectly captures the old meeting the new.It demonstrates the North East can once again lead rail innovation to inspire the next generation and demonstrate the range of opportunities. That’s why this festival has been such a success so far, and why upcoming events are so exciting.” 

David Horne, Managing Director at LNER, said:

“It was an absolute privilege to welcome the replica of Locomotion No.1 to Darlington during the Anniversary Journey weekend. To see it alongside our own Azuma train ‘Darlington’ – which we proudly named earlier this year to celebrate the town’s pivotal place in the history of our railway – was a truly historic moment, one which received national and international media attention and placed the North East well and truly on the map.”

S&DR200 festival continues until 2026, with more exciting events still to come. Among them is WOW – Women of the World Festival, taking place on 17–18 October at Gala Durham and the first edition of WOW in the Northeast. This powerful programme of talks, performances, and workshops celebrates the achievements of women, girls, and non-binary people — echoing the S&DR200 festival’s wider themes of pioneering spirit, innovation, and legacy. The event will spotlight the often-overlooked contributions of women in railway history and the region’s industrial development, while inspiring future generations. The line-up features speakers including former Lioness Jill Scott, workshops from The Consent Collective and Urban Kaos, and a closing performance by the North East's very own singer songwriter Amelia Coburn. S&DR200 is delivered by Darlington Borough Council, Durham County Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.