Europe’s largest collection of historic rail vehicles assembled at Locomotion

18th March 2024

Locomotion in Shildon, County Durham is to undertake the museum’s biggest ever rail shunt to create Europe’s largest undercover display of historic rail vehicles.

Managed by specialist teams from Locomotion and the National Railway Museum, the shunt will see 46 vehicles (and one road vehicle) moved carefully inside the newly constructed £8m New Hall.

Locomotion is a partnership between the Science Museum Group and Durham County Council, with the latter having provided significant funding towards New Hall.

Situated opposite the museum’s existing collection building, New Hall is scheduled to open to the public on 24 May 2024.

Before then, the hall needs to be filled with collection rail vehicles in a complex shunt that will take more than four weeks to complete.

With a crane, two snow ploughs, a pair of track inspection velocipedes, historic steam locomotives, numerous freight wagons and even a tracked Bren Gun Carrier, the lineup is sure to include something to complete every train set. When added to the vehicles already at Locomotion there will be 99 rail vehicles - creating the largest undercover display of historic rail vehicles in Europe.

To enable the shunt to take place safely, Locomotion has temporarily closed to visitors during weekdays until the 27 March. The final vehicle is expected to go into the hall at the end of April. 

New Hall will open in time to celebrate the museum’s 20^th anniversary in September this year. The museum is also built close to the site of Shildon Works – once home to a thriving railway workshop, employing thousands, which closed in June 1984.

To mark this important link, the new building and the vehicle display will recognise the important role of railways in shaping communities in Shildon and across the North East, as well as the development of the railways across the UK. The interpretation will also tell new stories of the significance of coal in the development of the railways along with related stories of industry and freight transportation.

Sarah Price, Head of Locomotion, said: “I would like to thank all our partners involved in creating the magnificent New Hall, especially Nationwide Engineering and Durham County Council. New Hall effectively doubles the size of Locomotion and gives us much needed covered display space to help conserve the collection, as well as giving visitors the chance to find out more about the railways and the North East’s railway heritage.

“I hope the significant regeneration at Locomotion can draw even more people to visit the museum and the region as part of the national Railway 200 celebrations and beyond.”

Durham County Council successfully applied for £20m Levelling Up funding to allow it to invest in Locomotion, including the creation of New Hall. The council seeks to promote the county and its assets to visitors as part of its Inclusive Economic Strategy.

Cllr Elizabeth Scott, the authority’s Cabinet member for economy and partnerships, said: “It’s really exciting knowing New Hall is getting closer to opening and to housing Europe’s biggest undercover display of historic rail vehicles.

“We were delighted to be able to provide funding for this project, which will let many more people know the significance of Shildon as the starting point of the world’s first steam locomotive-powered passenger journey, further raising Durham’s profile nationally and internationally as the ‘Culture County’.

“Locomotion is already one of County Durham and the North East’s biggest visitor attractions, putting smiles on faces and delivering significant economic benefits. We look forward to New Hall adding to the museum’s offer and to it being at the heart of celebrations of both 20 years of the museum and 200 years since the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.”

New Hall was designed by AOC Architecture and J+L Gibbons Landscape Architects.

Once rail vehicles are in place, New Hall will receive new interpretation, seating, wayfinding, lighting and other finishing touches ready to open for visitors on Friday 24 May 2024.

New Hall is the centrepiece of a site-wide programme of improvements at Locomotion which incorporates historic coal drops, a collection of railway buildings and Gaunless Bridge - one of the world’s oldest iron railway bridges. A restoration project is taking place to repaint and display the bridge which was originally part of the Stockton and Darlington Railway. This is being funded by the Ironmonger's Company and members of the public.

As well as New Hall visitors to Locomotion can see many highlights from the national collection - from the world’s fastest diesel locomotive, HST 43102 The Journey Shrinker to Stephenson’s original Rocket and Locomotion No.1, which hauled the first train on the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825.

The new building will be a key part of plans to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 2025 as part of Railway 200.

Locomotion’s New Hall has been generously supported by Durham County Council (Lead Funder), Wolfson Foundation (Major Funder), The Foyle Foundation (Major Funder), Sir James Knott Trust (Associate Funder), The Catherine Cookson Charitable Trust (Associate Funder), The Platten Family Fund at the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland (Funder), and Northumbrian Water Branch Out Fund (Funder). The Gaunless Bridge project has been generously supported by the Ironmonger's Company (Funder) and members of the public.