Celebrating 200 Years of Railway Heritage
Tees Valley and Durham in North East England hold a special place in the history of the railways.
This region played a pivotal role in shaping the development of railways, not only in the UK, but across the world. From Locomotion in Shildon, the world’s first railway town, to Hopetown Darlington, home to over 30,000 fascinating objects, our incredible past is brought to life at award-winning attractions.
S&DR200 Festival
In 2025 a spotlight will shine on the region for the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR). This 26-mile journey between Shildon in Durham, and Stockton via Darlington, in Tees Valley on September 27, 1825 transformed how the world traded, travelled, and communicated. The nine month S&DR200 international festival, taking place from March to September, will take this fascinating story to the world with a series of incredible largescale spectacles, events and new art commissions. Whilst exhibitions at attractions including Preston Park Museum, The Story, Mining Art Gallery, Raby Castle and The Bowes Museum, will showcase different sides of this incredible story.