Hopetown Darlington

About the museum

Hopetown Darlington stands on the original North Road Station, which opened in 1842 on the line of the Stockton and Darlington Railway and was the town's only station until 1887. The Victorian station building was listed Grade II* in 1952. In the 1970s a group made up of the local council, the tourist board, Darlington's museums service and local businesses bought it, and it opened as a railway museum in 1975. After a refurbishment it reopened in 2008 as the Head of Steam museum.

Between 2022 and 2024 the site was redeveloped with about 35 million pounds of funding, including support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and renamed Hopetown Darlington after the former Hopetown foundry works. The 7.5-acre site now brings together several railway buildings, among them the Goods Shed, the Carriage Works and the Locomotive Works, with the Grade II* station housing the museum itself. It is owned and run by Darlington Borough Council.

The collection holds more than 30,000 objects, including archives, vehicles, art, costumes and furniture, covering the railways of Darlington and the North East from 1825 to the late twentieth century. Visitors can see the early locomotive Derwent in the museum, watch volunteers build the new steam locomotive Prince of Wales in the Locomotive Works, ride the EXPERIMENT! time-travel ride and let children loose in the Wagon Woods adventure play park. The site also includes Skerne Bridge, which it describes as the oldest operating railway bridge in the world.

Highlights

• North Road Station Museum in a Grade II* listed Victorian station
• Locomotive Derwent on display
• Darlington Locomotive Works, where volunteers are building the locomotive Prince of Wales
• EXPERIMENT! time-travel ride and Wagon Woods adventure play park
• Collection of more than 30,000 railway objects

Permanent exhibitions

• North Road Station Museum – The early history of the railways from Darlington's 1825 public steam railway onwards, told through hands-on displays, digital storytelling and the locomotive Derwent.
• Darlington Locomotive Works – A working engineering workshop with a viewing gallery where volunteers build the steam locomotive Prince of Wales.

Founded

1975

Operated by

Darlington Borough Council

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry to the site, North Road Station Museum, Goods Shed, The Stores, Clocktower Cafe and the Locomotive Works viewing gallery is free, with donations welcome. A free ticket is still required and can be booked online or at the Welcome Desk in the Goods Shed. Some exhibitions, events and activities are charged separately.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Level access is provided by ramps or lifts where there are stairs, and the main entrance is up a ramp from the street. Accessible toilets are in the Goods Shed, the North Road Station Museum, the Carriage Works and near The Kiosk, and a Changing Places toilet is in the North Road Station Museum. Hearing loops are at the Goods Shed entrance and the Carriage Works reception, and large print is available on request. Accessible parking is at Skerne Bridge car park and on McNay Street. The site takes part in the Sunflower Lanyard scheme, offers virtual 3D tours, an AccessAble guide and a visual story guide, and Wagon Woods has an accessible incline track and companion slide.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Playground / play area
• Kids’ birthday parties

Wagon Woods is a railway-themed adventure play park with a toddler area, a 50-metre boardwalk, slides and a chimney climb. The museum has hands-on exhibits, and seasonal events such as Spooktown and Christmas are held. Breastfeeding is welcome and there is a private feeding room in the North Road Station Museum.

Getting there & parking

The site is on the Harrowgate Hill cycle route and has free bike parking.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

The Clocktower Cafe is in the Goods Shed, and The Kiosk next to Wagon Woods sells drinks, sweets and ice cream at weekends and in school holidays. Hopetown Goods and Gifts is the shop. Visitors may bring picnics to the picnic areas. Bottles can be heated in the cafe.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

Venue hire is offered for corporate events and children's birthday parties.

Plan your visit