Darlington Railway Centre and Museum
Encyclopedia
Darlington Railway Centre and Museum, also known as Head of Steam, is located on the 1825 route of the Stockton and Darlington Railway
which was the world's first steam powered passenger railway. Run by Darlington Borough Council
the museum is located in the northern suburbs of Darlington
in the ceremonial county
of County Durham
, England
. The site encompasses three significant Stockton and Darlington Railway buildings of the 1830s: North Road railway station
, the goods shed and Hopetown Carriage Works
.
Exhibits include George Stephenson
's Locomotion No 1
, built for the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, and Derwent
, the earliest surviving Darlington
built locomotive, on loan from The National Railway Museum
collection. Locomotion No 1 is one of the oldest surviving steam engines in the world and the first ever steam train to carry fare paying passengers.
In April 2008, it was re-branded as Head of Steam, following a £1.7m refurbishment project.
Stockton and Darlington Railway
The Stockton and Darlington Railway , which opened in 1825, was the world's first publicly subscribed passenger railway. It was 26 miles long, and was built in north-eastern England between Witton Park and Stockton-on-Tees via Darlington, and connected to several collieries near Shildon...
which was the world's first steam powered passenger railway. Run by Darlington Borough Council
Darlington (borough)
Darlington is a local government district and borough in North East England. In 2008 it had a resident population of 100,500 It borders County Durham to the north and west, North Yorkshire to the south along the line of the River Tees, and Stockton-on-Tees to the east.-Council:Traditionally part of...
the museum is located in the northern suburbs of Darlington
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
in the ceremonial county
Ceremonial counties of England
The ceremonial counties are areas of England to which are appointed a Lord Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as counties and areas for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Act 1997 with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England and Lieutenancies Act 1997...
of County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The site encompasses three significant Stockton and Darlington Railway buildings of the 1830s: North Road railway station
North Road railway station
North Road railway station serves the northern areas of Darlington and parts of southern County Durham, England. The station is on the Bishop Auckland branch of the Tees Valley Line and is operated by Northern Rail which provides all passenger train services on this line...
, the goods shed and Hopetown Carriage Works
Hopetown Carriage Works
Hopetown Carriage Works, built in 1853 by Joseph Sparkes in Darlington, County Durham), England, was a workshop of the world's first publicly subscribed passenger railway, the 1825-63 Stockton and Darlington Railway, and also of the subsequent railway companies into which the SD&R was absorbed....
.
Exhibits include George Stephenson
George Stephenson
George Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives...
's Locomotion No 1
Locomotion No 1
Locomotion No. 1 is an early British steam locomotive. Built by George and Robert Stephenson's company Robert Stephenson and Company in 1825, it hauled the first train on the Stockton and Darlington Railway on 27 September 1825....
, built for the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, and Derwent
Derwent (locomotive)
Derwent is an 0-6-0 steam locomotive built in 1845 by William and Alfred Kitching for the Stockton and Darlington Railway . It is preserved at Darlington Railway Centre and Museum.-Design:...
, the earliest surviving Darlington
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
built locomotive, on loan from The National Railway Museum
National Railway Museum
The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the British National Museum of Science and Industry and telling the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It has won many awards, including the European Museum of the Year Award in 2001...
collection. Locomotion No 1 is one of the oldest surviving steam engines in the world and the first ever steam train to carry fare paying passengers.
In April 2008, it was re-branded as Head of Steam, following a £1.7m refurbishment project.
Facilities
- Onsite parking.
- Railway cafe, open 11am to 3pm Monday to Sunday.
- Wheelchair access to most parts of the museum.
- Baby changing facilities within the museum main building.
- Gift shop selling souvenirs and memorabilia.
Locomotives
- Stockton and Darlington RailwayStockton and Darlington RailwayThe Stockton and Darlington Railway , which opened in 1825, was the world's first publicly subscribed passenger railway. It was 26 miles long, and was built in north-eastern England between Witton Park and Stockton-on-Tees via Darlington, and connected to several collieries near Shildon...
Locomotion No 1Locomotion No 1Locomotion No. 1 is an early British steam locomotive. Built by George and Robert Stephenson's company Robert Stephenson and Company in 1825, it hauled the first train on the Stockton and Darlington Railway on 27 September 1825.... - Stockton and Darlington Railway DerwentDerwent (locomotive)Derwent is an 0-6-0 steam locomotive built in 1845 by William and Alfred Kitching for the Stockton and Darlington Railway . It is preserved at Darlington Railway Centre and Museum.-Design:...
- NER 1463 ClassNER 1463 ClassThe NER 1463 Class was a class of 2-4-0 steam locomotive of the North Eastern Railway. The class was designed in 1884 by a locomotive committee, chaired by Henry Tennant, and built in 1885....
(LNER Class E5) 2-4-0 no. 1463 - NER Class T3NER Class T3North Eastern Railway Class T3, classified Q7 by the LNER is a class of 0-8-0 steam locomotive designed for heavy freight. Five were built by the NER in 1919 and a further 10 by the London and North Eastern Railway in 1924.-Performance:...
(LNER Class Q7) 0-8-0 No. 901 (BR No. 63460) - Owned by NRM