Hopetown: celebrating the North East’s railway heritage

A group of people outside a heritage building featuring a clock tower at Hopetown Darlington.
Staff from Darlington Borough Council and Hopetown.Darlington at the new visitor attraction. Photo: Ellen Hunter.

National Lottery Grants for Heritage – £250,000 to £5million

Date awarded
Location
Northgate
Local Authority
Darlington
Applicant
Darlington Borough Council
Award Given
£3264232
A state-of-the-art visitor attraction and community engagement scheme celebrates the historic Stockton and Darlington railway line.

Celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2025, the heritage railway received over £3million National Lottery funding.  

A locomotive inside the museum at Hopetown Darlington.
The museum at Hopetown Darlington.

The project has supported the development of a new visitor attraction called Hopetown on the former Head of Steam Museum site in Darlington.  

The Museum, Goods Shed and Carriage Works buildings have been refurbished and now house a new exhibition space, archive and open store. A new café and improved access across the site have further improved the visitor experience. 

A digital animation using virtual and augmented reality of the entire site has been created, as well as a bespoke children's play area designed to link with the site's heritage.  

The award will firmly place Darlington on the map as a centre for amazing railway heritage.

Mike Crawshaw, Head of Culture & Heritage at Darlington Borough Council

Children explore a new play area at Hopetown Darlington.
Children explore Wagon Woods, the new play area at Hopetown Darlington.

The project is also empowering communities along the railway line's 26 miles to organise their own activities through a programme of smaller grants. These include:

  • S&DR Music – exploring the sounds of the Stockton and Darlington railway
  • IN2 Journeys – working with school children on an art project to explore the impact of the railways on geographical and social mobility
  • Fighting Cocks – creating a mural on the the former Fighting Cocks station house
  • Write on Track – developing a creative writing competition to celebrate the railway bicentenary  
  • Young Engineers – working with school children to produce a miniature replica of Locomotion #1 

Mike Crawshaw, Head of Culture & Heritage at Darlington Borough Council, said: “The award will firmly place Darlington on the map as a centre for amazing railway heritage, enable us to display our heritage for the enjoyment of all our visitors, and help us to inspire future generations through imagination and exploration.” 

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