Hundreds expected to turn out to watch Locomotion No. 1 replica recreate maiden voyage through Durham and Teesside
It's all eyes on Teesside and County Durham this weekend for the final leg of the Stockton and Darlington 200th railway celebrations.
Around 10-thousand people are descending on Teesside and County Durham this weekend for the Stockton and Darlington 200th railway celebrations.
A recreation of the first journey of Locomotion No.1 - which took place on the 27th of September 1825 - is happening tomorrow.
The steam train is going on a 26-mile journey between Shildon and Stockton via Darlington.
And today the engine, pulling a carriage with the Duke of Edinburgh on board, was a few minutes late setting off on its short trip to Shildon - where it will wait until the big journey tomorrow.
Locomotion No.1 was the first steam locomotive to pull a passenger-carrying train on a public railway.
Edward was met by dignitaries a few hundred yards up the line from the Shildon Locomotion visitor attraction, and included among them was his brother-in-law Sir Tim Laurence - a noted steam enthusiast.
The Duke of Edinburgh then got into the carriage called Experiment pulled by the Locomotion No.1, among whose crew was TV presenter Guy Martin - more known for travelling at high speed on two wheels.
Doug Haynes, 81, a retired aircraft engineer from Preston, Lancashire, travelled to Shildon to witness the re-enactment.
He said: "It was tremendous.
"The work that they have put in to make this happen has been well worthwhile.
"It was well worth the trip over for me."
Louise Jones, 39, from Alfreton, Derbyshire, left home at 6.30am to see the spectacle.
She said: "It was amazing to see it moving.
"My dad used to work on the railways.
"This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see what it would have looked like 200 years ago."
The replica of Locomotion No.1 has been restored and extensively tested ahead of the anniversary celebrations.
Network Rail has urged people not to trespass on the railways to get a better look.
Operations director Karen Duffy said: "We want the viewing public to have a fantastic time during this celebratory weekend, but we can't stress enough how important it is to keep safe."
What is S&DR200?
S&DR200 is a nine-month international festival inspired by the first historic first passenger train journey 200 years ago on the Stockton and Darlington Railway.
Visitors of all ages have been enjoying a packed programme of free large-scale outdoor events, exhibitions and commissions in the public spaces, libraries, and world-class museums and heritage attractions of Tees Valley and County Durham.
The highlight of the S&DR200 Festival is the recreation over three days this weekend of that groundbreaking journey of Locomotion No.1. The final leg of the journey sees the train arrive in Stockton on Sunday, followed by a day of celebration and performances in Stockton Town Centre.
What’s happening on Sunday and where?
Locomotion No.1 is due to arrive at Stockton Station at 10.55am, but tickets are fully booked. But you can still see Loco No.1 from the official viewing location at Rochester Road from 11.32am where it will remain for approximately 40 mins. Visitors are advised by Stockton Council to get to Rochester Road by 11am.
The train will have a fantastic, elevated position on the line and will be welcomed with a military gun salute. No tickets are required as this viewing point is large enough to allow thousands of people to experience this special moment in history. Accessible viewing of the loco will be available from the road, which will be closed to traffic.
Then visitors can head to Stockton Town Centre where the celebrations will continue into the evening.
Councillor Nigel Cooke, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture, said: “Sunday 28 September will be a truly iconic day to remember, with plenty of entertainment throughout the day for people of all ages and a chill-out zone where visitors can enjoy live music and tasty treats.
“And the finale, Ghost Train: The Arrival, will be an epic outdoor performance of a scale that has never been seen before in the Borough! Outdoor street art at its finest, audiences can expect to see one of the biggest street art commissions brought to Stockton, with beautiful storytelling, humour, music, peril and spectacular fire, water and pyrotechnic effects too - bringing the curtain down on a historic day!”
Niccy Hallifax, S&DR200 Festival Director, said: “The festival programme offers something for all visitors to enjoy, from the railway enthusiasts to families, as well as engaging a younger generation with new and inventive ways to tell the pioneering S&DR story like Ghost Train: The Arrival, the second instalment of the two-part performance, following on from Ghost Train: The Departure in Darlington.
“This breathtaking celebration of our railway heritage, brought to life through world-class creativity, engineering and performance, is a once-in-a-generation spectacle that will amaze, inspire and unite our communities — a true highlight of the S&DR200 Festival."