Hopetown Darlington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Hopetown Darlington

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Established	1975
Location	Darlington, County Durham, England
Type	Railway museum

Hopetown Darlington is a popular railway museum in Darlington, England. It stands on the original route of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, which made history in 1825 as the world's first public railway to use steam-powered trains for passengers.

The museum is located in the old North Road railway station building. Its exhibits celebrate the history of railways in the area, especially the Stockton & Darlington Railway. The museum was once known as the Darlington Railway Centre and Museum and later as Head of Steam.

In 2023, the museum closed for a massive £35 million upgrade. It reopened in July 2024 as part of a huge 7.5-acre site called Hopetown Darlington. The new name comes from the historic Hopetown Carriage Works that was once in the area. Today, visitors can explore the North Road Station Museum, see amazing exhibitions, and even try a 4D virtual reality ride. There is also an adventure playpark, a café, and a shop.

The Famous Locomotives

Hopetown Darlington is home to several historic steam and diesel engines. Some are owned by the museum, while others are on loan from the National Railway Museum.

Name or Number	Built	Description	Color	Fun Facts	Image
Locomotion No. 1 (Replica)	1975	A copy of a S&DR 0-4-0 steam engine.	N/A	The original Locomotion No. 1, built by the famous George Stephenson, pulled the very first passenger train on September 27, 1825. The original engine was moved to the Locomotion Museum in 2021. This amazing replica was built in 1975 and is being restored to working order to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the railway in 2025.
No. 25 Derwent	1845	A S&DR 0-6-0 steam engine.	Green	Derwent was designed by Timothy Hackworth, another important railway pioneer. It was built to work on the Stockton and Darlington Railway. For many years, it was displayed next to the original Locomotion No. 1 before moving into the museum.
No. 1463	1885	A NER 2-4-0 steam engine.	NER Apple Green	This powerful engine was designed to pull fast passenger trains called "express trains." Before coming to Darlington, it was a star exhibit at the original York Railway Museum.
No. 901	1919	A NER 0-8-0 steam engine.	LNER Black	This engine was a real workhorse, designed by Sir Vincent Raven to pull very heavy freight trains. In the 1980s, a preservation group restored it, and it ran for many years on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. It is now on display at the Locomotion Museum in Shildon.
No. D6898	1964	A BR Class 37 diesel engine.	BR Green	This diesel locomotive was the very last engine built at Darlington's famous Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns works before it closed. After retiring from service, it was donated to the museum in 2021, bringing it back home to Darlington.

Model Railway

The museum has a huge and detailed model of the Stockton & Darlington Railway. It shows what the railway looked like and how it worked in its early days.

External links

• Hopetown Darlington museum website
• Darlington Borough Council, museum website