Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work with the pieces that make up a museum collection? Now you can ona special tour of North Road Station Museum and The Stores. Join Alison, our Collections Engagement Manager, on a Curator’s tour to view the highlights of Darlington’s internationally significant railway heritage. Discover why we chose certain stories for the Museum’s displays and the significance of the railway objects in our 30,000 item collection.

Come and celebrate the culmination of the S&DR200 festival at Hopetown Darlington on 27th September 2025. The replica Locomotion No.1 will be returning to the birthplace of passenger railways to reenact that infamous journey from 200 years ago across Skerne Bridge. John Street Car Park will be transformed into the perfect celebratory viewing area for 8000 spectators to watch this spectacular event. Book your free tickets to the Anniversary Journey viewing area as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Once they're gone, they're gone. alternative parking arrangements are being made. Further details will be revealed soon.

Discover our programme of workshops aimed at children aged 610. From taking an in-depth look at a small selection of the 30,000 objects in our collection in The Stores, handling objects like a curator and complete short interactive activities, to finding out the untold history of Darlington, its association with the railways and how we tell this pioneering history, there's plenty of workshops to complete your home educating programme. Workshops are followed by one hours play in Wagon Woods.

Discover our programme of workshops aimed at children aged 1016. From taking an indepth look at a small selection of the 30,000 objects in our collection in The Stores, handling objects like a curator and complete short interastive activities, to finding out the untold history of Darlington, its association with the railways and how we tell this pioneering history, there's plenty of workshops to completement your home educating programme. Workshops are followed by one hours play in Wagon Woods.

Hopetown Darlington is pleased to welcome the North Eastern Railway Association with their programme of fascinating talks. These lectures focus on a range of railway topics, and include a Q&A session. MARCH 8TH Repression to Recognition: Walter Hudson and the growth of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants from 1867 to 1897 (Ian Mitchell) JUNE 7TH Getting to Wearhead: The S&DR and the NER in Weardale (John Addyman) SEPTEMBER 6TH William Bouch of Shildon Locomotive Engineer (Neil Mackay)

Get your free ticket to Hopetown Darlington! Site Admission tickets cover entry to North Road Station Museum, the Goods Shed, The Stores, Clocktower Café, Darlington Locomotive Works Viewing Gallery and our beautiful outdoor spaces. Enjoy your visit!

Join our curator Alison Grange for an indepth tour of S&DR200 Presents Railway Pioneers Celebrating the Railway Rockstars of the Past. Three iconic locomotives will be on show illustrating the advancements of rail technology in the early 19th century and the engineering innovation which led to the opening of Stockton & Darlington Railway. On display is Locomotion No. 1, designed and driven by George Stephenson on the historical first journey in 1825, Penydarren, designed by Richard Trevithick in 1804 and Steam Elephant, designed by John Buddle and William Chapman in 1815. Alison will give you a comprehensive overview of the history and significance of these three iconic locomotives, what links them together and the story of pulling them together for the exhibition. This a definite must for heritage enthusiasts and novices alike! Tours are recommended for over-16s.

Hopetown Darlington presents Comic Con in collaboration with Cute Fox Events. Hopetown comic con promises to be a great value day out for all the family offering attractions such as photo opportunities, walkabout characters, traders and lots more – including celebrity guest appearances. Confirmed guests include Phil Fletcher and Hacker T Dog from CBBC, and Saracen from the original Gladiators TV series. Dene Michael, former singer of the band Black Lace will be joining us at Hopetown Comic Con in February! More names will be confirmed soon! Attractions at Comic Con include walkabout characters, Tyne Tees Ghostbusters, R2D2, Dalek Dominic, Star Warsthemed North East Legion and their green screen photo opportunity, face painting, Ray Philips (sculptor and modeller), local comic artists Dan Walls and Gary Whitlock, L&P Paranormal investigators and a cosplay competition. The star attraction will be the DeLorean DMC car. Made famous by the Back To The Future filmseries, sit in the car for the ultimate photo opportunity. "Great Scott!" Come dressed up! We want to see as many of you in your awesome outfits and costumes as possible.

Come and join us at Hopetown Darlington for afternoons of creativity and relaxation. Learn new techniques and make new friends in a calm and welcoming environment. Make something for yourself, friends or family. Led by local artist Dawn Belshaw. Engaging in creative activities can promote mindfulness, which can help reduce stress. By focusing on the creative process you can help reduce anxiety, relax and promote positivity, giving you a sense of accomplishment and a boost of self esteem. Wellness Wednesdays are held in the Clocktower Café. Here's What's On... 7th May IRIS FOLDING Find out how to make the most beautiful cards and decorations with the simplest of materials. Iris folding is the skill of creation using colours, paper and card. 14th May BEADED SPIDER Create a whimsical decorative spider using wire and beadwork. 21st May FLOWER POUNDING This botanical activity creates gorgeous prints from flowers and leaves pounded onto material and paper. Prepare for some very noisy (but therapeutic!) fun and giggles. 4th June FELTED FLOWERS Create beautiful wet felted flowers using wool, soap, water and a little elbow grease! This fun and tactile craft involves shaping colourful wool into stunning floral designs. 11th June COLLAGE CRAFTING Unleash your creativity in this playful and expressive mixed media collage workshop. 18th June ONESTROKE PAINTING Discover the magic of one stroke painting, an eyecatchingly graphic and decorative painting technique. 25th June SPIRILLA This fun and engaging craft technique uses coloured thread to form beautiful geometric patterns by winding thread around a pre cut template. 2nd July ART IN MOTION A Walking Art Session Step outside and let the outside inspire your creativity walking around the grounds of Hopetown, sketching and discovering hidden details in your surroundings. 9th July NEEDLE FELTED SHEEP In this delightfully woolly workshop you'll create an adorable little sheep using wool roving and felting needles. 16th July BOTANICAL GELLI PRINTING Get inspired by nature and explore the vibrant world of botanical gelli printing. All workshops are standalone sessions. No prior experience necessary!

Darlington Pride is back this summer and there are plenty of activities lined up across the whole weekend! Pride is all about inclusivity and celebration, and for 2025 Pride in the Park is coming to Hopetown Darlington! Come and join the fun, celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, and create a party atmosphere! Hopetown’s luscious outdoor spaces are the perfect location for a relaxed, familyfriendly pride picnic with crafts, face painting, live music by Tracks Darlington, bubbles and storytelling. There will be delicious lunches and sweet treats available from the Clocktower Café, or feel free to bring a picnic and join in the fun! The fun starts at 10am until 5pm with the main event running between 12pm until 3pm.

Join Pimms & Needles at Hopetown Darlington, for creative adult crafting workshops. What's On... 1 JUNE CHOCOLATE MAKING Attend an exciting chocolate workshop where you will have the opportunity to make five delicious truffles, while delving into the fascinating history of how chocolate made its way to the UK. This handson experience is perfect for chocolate lovers of all ages, whether you're a beginner or have some experience in chocolate making. 6 JULY TEA BLENDING Join us for an engaging workshop where you will delve into the historical journey of tea and how it became a staple drink in the UK. This workshop is designed not only to educate but also to provide a sensory experience that includes smelling and tasting various loose teas. Participants will have the unique opportunity to create their very own custom tea blend to take home. 7 SEPTEMBER VINTAGE CHINA TEACUP CANDLES A truly unique candlemaking workshop where you will create your very own candle in a vintage china teacup. This handson experience not only allows you to craft a beautiful and functional piece but also provides an opportunity to learn about the fascinating history of porcelain and its journey to the UK.

Join Gareth Dennis, the awardwinning railway engineer and writer, for a programme of talks exploring the history of the railways. Gareth is an awardwinning railway engineer and writer. He hosts the weekly #Railnatter show and is a regular on podcasts, radio, television and in print making the case for railways at the heart of a sustainable future. He is the author of the bestselling book How The Railways Will Fix The Future and is a cofounder of the Campaign for Level Boarding. Wednesday 30 April at 2pm and Wednesday 4 June at 2pm From Ancient Greece to California A Longer History of Railways The #Railway200 festival is celebrating two hundred years since the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, but railway technology has been around for more than two thousand years. Indeed, in the UK we've had railways since the 1500s but this story is seldom told. Gareth Dennis joins us to describe the development of the railways, taking in Ancient Greece, the Reformation and the transatlantic slave trade, and why it is crucial to understand this story when talking about the role of railways in our future. Railways are humanity's default mass mover. Railways are our greatest open source technology. Railways created the tech industry that has now taken such a grip on today's society. And railways will fix the future. Gareth explains how. Wednesday 10 September at 2pm Keeping Humanity Moving The Railways of the Future Gareth returns to tell us how the railways fit into the future of mobility and civilisation as a whole. He will talk about trains today, what we get right, what we don't, and what lessons we can learn from two hundred years of modern railways. He'll tell us which countries have the best railway systems and why. And he'll tell us what role railways will have in shaping and sustaining our future, as we face down climate change, population and demographic changes and the threats of the rising power of the tech industry. Lastly, he'll paint a picture of what a future with railways at the heart of our transport system can look like, and how it's a better future for us all.

For the weirdly wonderful, the strange and unusual. A safe place for all Misfits. New place, new time, same vibes, even more weird and wonderful traders and artists with unique curiosities and treasures. Misfits Market comes to Hopetown Darlington! Come and browse the brilliant range of alternative art and handmade goods on offer. Our wonderful traders will be selling clothing, homeware, artwork, jewellery, gifts and curiosities, and so much more!

Join writer and broadcaster Christian Wolmar for an evening of history and discovery. This fascinating talk will cover 200 years of railway history. Based on his book 'Fire and Steam', Christian will delve into the dramatic stories of people and events that shaped the world's first railway network. Door open at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. The event is sponsored by Darlington Historical Society.

Visit Hopetown Darlington with your four legged friend and meet fellow owners at our Doggy Social Sundays. With our glorious Goods Yard and lush green spaces, Hopetown is the perfect location for getting out and about in the fresh air, so why not make it your weekend dog walking destination? Dogs are welcome to explore everywhere except Wagon Woods play park, and our Exhibition Hall. We ask that dog owners keep their doggos on the lead at all times, and of course pick up after them we have bags and water stations available on site! To make your day all the more memorable, treat your pup to a doggy ice cream from Northern Bloc, or a pupcake from the Clocktower Cafe – human versions are also available!