Historic first journey on Stockton and Darlington Railway marked with nine-month festival
Events are going to be inspired by 200 years of passenger train travel
Last updated 1st May 2025
A nine-month festival kicks off this weekend marking the historic first journey on the Stockton and Darlington Railway.
The events, inspired by 200 years of passenger train travel, takes place across County Durham and the Tees Valley until November this year.
The festival launches with a spectacular open-air event in Bishop Auckland tomorrow.
Stockton is just one area that will be at the centre of the celebrations and there will be so many things to see and do across the Borough.
Residents and visitors will be able to enjoy exciting outdoor arts events, fascinating exhibitions and take part in community projects. The festival will allow people to delve into the story of the railways and learn more about the impact passenger rail has had on the way the world has traded, travelled, and communicated.
Councillor Bob Cook, Leader of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, said: “The Stockton and Darlington Railway, gave birth to the modern railway – and to think that started here, in our Borough, is truly awe-inspiring!
“Naturally, the Borough is going to be at the heart of this exciting, nine month, international festival which is inspired by the first passenger journey. We want residents and visitors alike to be able to enjoy free activities and fun experiences while learning more about our Borough’s heritage.
“We’re expecting thousands of visitors and residents to travel to the Borough from across the country and outside the UK, to enjoy what’s on offer over the nine month festival. September 28 will be an exciting day to remember in Stockton when the Anniversary Journey is set to arrive. This will kick-start a day of celebrations in Stockton Town Centre followed by the spectacular Ghost Train in the evening. Make sure you put this date in your diary!
“From March to November there are lots of events across a 26-mile corridor and there will be something for everyone so sign up to the S&DR200 newsletter, visit the website or follow S&DR200 on social media to make sure you don’t miss out.”
S&DR200 festival launch with All Change
The S&DR200 festival will launch with All Change, a spectacular open-air event in Bishop Auckland at 11Arches, combining dazzling projections, drones and up to 100 live performers bringing history to life, on Saturday 29th March 2025.
The event will speed through 200 years of railway history and major historical moments, from the Industrial Revolution, two World Wars to the present, celebrating the transformative power of trains on the landscape and our lives.
Inspired by conversations with local historians, the spectacle will bring history to life with large-scale set pieces, projection mapping, original music and drones by SKYMAGIC. The show will feature up to 100 performers from the local community, made up of the same team of dedicated local trained volunteers.
S&DR200 is being delivered by Darlington Borough Council, Durham County Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.
Festival Director, Niccy Hallifax, says: "It must have been magical 200 years ago to witness the first journey on the Stockton and Darlington Railway. With All Change, we aim to recapture that sense of wonder, bringing people together from all corners of the region and further afield for an awe-inspiring event. I hope we can create an unforgettable memory for people of all ages, offering them an exciting glimpse of the region's fascinating heritage while sparking further creativity and ideas over the years that follow. The artists we have brought together for this one-off show really are the best in their fields."
All Change is created by award-winning performance company imitating the dog. Director, Simon Wainwright, says: "We've been so inspired by the incredible story of Locomotion No. 1 and the changes it brought about, from that first short journey to the massive impact it had across the world. Our performance for the opening event explores how train travel opened up the possibilities for ordinary people to travel and to witness world events. All Change will take audiences on a journey, a whistlestop tour through 200 years of history, and will be told through a combination of our trademark storytelling techniques of digital projection, live performance and a newly composed soundscape. We are thrilled to be working with Rocky and Katie P, the team at 11Arches and SKYMAGIC to bring all of this together."
On their involvement in the project, SKYMAGIC Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer, Patrick O'Mahony, says: "SKYMAGIC are delighted to bring our world-famous drone light show to S&DR200. As a global company with an office in the North, we're always proud to support and work with cultural celebrations that champion achievements close to home. It will be a pleasure collaborating with incredible local talent in order to bring our aerial storytelling to the festival's opening event."
What can you expect from the nine-month festival across the Borough of Stockton?
If all goes to plan, on Sunday 28th September, Stockton town centre will welcome the Anniversary Journey, a recreation of the first journey on the S&DR with a newly commissioned replica of Locomotion No. 1. The journey is expected to start in Shildon on Friday 26th September, making its way to Darlington on Saturday 27th September before it arrives in Stockton on Sunday.
Throughout the day, there will be a railway-themed outdoor chill-out zone serving artisan food and beverages called The 1825 in Bishop Street Car Park, Stockton, where crowds will be entertained with live music, performances, street theatre and arts and crafts while they enjoy tasty treats.
The 1825 will be set against the existing Locomotion No.1 mural in Bishop Street Car Park, which is being repainted ready for the celebration.
The Ghost Train, a two-part large-scale outdoor performance, is taking place in Stockton and Darlington. It will arrive in Stockton on the evening on Sunday, September 28 after a performance in Darlington on Saturday, September 20.
The show includes an amazing re-imagining of Locomotion No. 1, complete with illuminated carriages. In Stockton the spectacular, free show will feature music, performance and interactive elements telling the story of the Stockton and Darlington Railway’s innovation and the transformational impact on the region. The Ghost Train is a commission of the S&DR200 Project and is created and produced by Avanti Display Ltd & Walk the Plank, funded by S&DR200 and Tees Valley Combined Authority.
Preston Park Museum
Following a multi-million pound extension and wider park improvements, the museum will showcase a range of exhibitions in its new gallery spaces, looking at the natural and human stories of the railways.
S&DR200 presents, Tracks of Change, a series of exhibitions including All Aboard, Corridors, Gateway to the World and Perfume, which will explore the impact and legacy of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the world’s first passenger railway. The transformation of Preston Park is being funded after the Council secured £20million of funding for work in Yarm and Eaglescliffe from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
All Aboard
Step inside and explore Preston Park Museum’s new interactive exhibition specially created for children. Little engineers will be able to get hands-on with wheels to turn, coal to shovel and pistons to pump in the giant replica train and themed play zones. Families will be able to take part in a journey of discovery through play to understand the important story of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.
The museum is also welcoming internationally acclaimed artists to create stunning immersive and sensory exhibitions, sharing the impact rail has on nature and the biodiversity of our landscape.
These reflective spaces will encourage visitors to think about special corridors of nature created by rail travel, as well as asking the bigger questions about the future of sustainable travel.
Corridors
Corridors is a stunning new installation by internationally acclaimed artist Rebecca Louise Law. Delicately suspended from the ceiling, hundreds of locally grown flowers create a beautiful and immersive display celebrating the vital role that railways play in connecting habitats across our countryside. Visitors are invited to take a moment to escape in this one-of-a-kind floral garden that appears to hover in mid-air, and this will be built by the artist and community groups which is part of Rebecca’s practice. This project will take place in partnership with the Preston Park Garden Team and the Biodiversity Team at Network Rail.
Gateway to the World
A collection of nationally significant paintings will go on display together for the first time at Preston Park. This powerful exhibition, set to open in the autumn, will highlight the important role that the birth of the railway played in creating tourism through day trips and travel opportunities for all, regardless of class.
Perfume
The council is working with the internationally renowned, contemporary, visual artist Yann Nguema on an exciting installation for the new space at Preston Park. Look out for more details about this major commission, which will take an immersive look at scent and is inspired by the seed distribution and pollination when trains travel through the countryside. Perfume is provisionally scheduled for the second half of the S&DR200 Festival.
You can find out more on the website.