S&DR200 Festival

About

The Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) opened on 27 September 1825, connecting places, people, communities and ideas, and its impact transformed the world.

To mark the 200th anniversary of the opening, the nine-month S&DR200 international festival will take place across Durham and Tees Valley from March to November 2025. The Festival is inspired by the first journey on the S&DR which gave birth to the modern railway, and will include once in a lifetime steam train journeys, innovative exhibitions, visual arts and large-scale outdoor spectacles.

Festival museum partners Locomotion, Hopetown Darlington, Preston Park Museum & Grounds and The Story will be presenting S&DR exhibitions in 2025, including several line-ups of iconic locomotives, and new contemporary art installations and interactive displays.

Other museums and galleries in the region will present S&DR-related exhibitions and displays including an exhibition at the Mining Art Gallery at the Auckland Project in Bishop Auckland, The Bowes Museum and Raby Castle.

Whether you are a railway buff, someone who loves getting creative, a history enthusiast, or someone enjoys new cultural experiences - there will be something for you at the S&DR200 Festival.

Visit the S&DR200 website for full programme information