Titans of Steam Gala

TITANS OF STEAM GALA 
Legends of the railway 

As part of this year’s S&DR200 celebrations, Hopetown Darlington will be front and centre of the festival as the home of the modern railway plays host to a free-to-visit thunderous gathering of iconic steam legends. Standing proudly side by side, each locomotive is a roaring monument to Britain’s engineering might.

From the nimble BR Standard Class 2 78018 to the stalwart NER T2 2238 (Q6 63395),the line-up is a masterclass in steam power. The elegant LNER P3 2392 (J27 65894) brings the charm of the North Eastern Railway, while the mighty – and legendary – A3 Class 60103 (Flying Scotsman), A1 Class 60163 (Tornado) and the A4 Class 60007 (Sir Nigel Gresley) steal the spotlight with their speed and majesty.

Please scroll down to find details of when other locomotives will be visiting us.

This is more than a line-up – it’s a living, breathing pageant of steam where history hisses, whistles wail, and the spirit of the rails roars once more.

Experience a close up view of the elegant LNER P3 / J27 and mighty NER T2 / Q6 within our site alongside the mighty Class 37 D6898. Marvel at Flying Scotsman, Sir Nigel Gresley and Tornado in light steam from our purpose built viewing area looking across the railway line.

We will also be holding separate footplate tours where you can step aboard Flying Scotsman, Sir Nigel Gresley, Tornado, and British Standard Class 2. You’ll also benefit from workshop Tours of Darlington Locomotive Works (home to The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust) to see LNER P2 Class 2007 Prince of Wales under construction, and the 1861 Shed (home to Darlington Railway Preservation Society and the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group) where you can see NER Class E1 (J72 69023) under restoration. Experience a truly unforgettable heritage day out.

A number of these locomotives took part in the cavalcade which celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1975 and their appearance at S&DR200 will echo that engineering might seen 50 years ago.

Round out your visit to Titans of Steam with a visit to the A1 Darlington Locomotive Works and the 1861 Shed – tap the buttons below for more info. The workshop below the gallery is open to the public on the first and third Saturday of each month. Meet in the Viewing Gallery (accessed from with Hopetown Darlington) at 11am or 1pm to join one these free workshop visits.

Delivered by: Darlington Borough Council, Durham County Council & Stockton Borough Council.

Major Funders: Arts Council England, Tees Valley, Funded by UK Government 

With thanks to:
The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust
Darlington Railway Preservation Society
North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group
National Railway Museum/Science Museum Group/Locomotion
Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust

The line up may be subject to change due to operational and volunteer availability reasons.