Today, the National Railway Museum invited RailAdvent to Locomotion in Shildon, to see the new £8m New Hall building before it opens to the public tomorrow.
At the special event, we were provided with ample time to explore the new building, which will hopefully help to bring the next generation into the world of railways.
Over 47 vehicles are now on display in the New Hall and celebrates Shildon as the world's first railway town.
Locomotion says they have the largest undercover collection of rail vehicles in Europe.
It is really nice to see that the New Hall is split into sections and tells a story on each “line”
There are early days of the railways, followed by freight, made in Shildon, as well as maintenance vehicles.
What's also great is the accessibility, its all concrete and smooth for wheelchair users to use, and the access path meets the latest accessibility standards too.
The NRM / Locomotion aims to attract 250,000 visitors a year to the region as part of the project, which was a partnership between the Science Museum Group and Durham County Council
New Hall is part of a wider £95m masterplan project across both Locomotion and The National Railway Museum which will see regeneration for both museums
“I can't wait for our visitors to experience New Hall. Great days out are made at Locomotion, and now it's bigger and better than ever.
Sarah Price, Head of Locomotion
Alongside the New Hall, the main hall at Shildon has also undergone a host of refreshes.
In the New Hall are 49395, 901 and Leeds-built ‘Juno' alongside two snowploughs (which are well positioned on the maintenance row, one a more recent design, one is a heritage snowplough – great to see the differences in how they were built), a Bren Gun carrier, and two cranes and other historical rail vehicles
As part of the New Hall preparation, more than a thousand vehicle moves were completed, which marks the museum's largest ever shunt.
The Gaunless Bridge, designed by George Stephenson, has returned to Shildon as part of the improvements to Locomotion's site.
Free tickets will be available during this Bank Holiday (24-27th May) as part of their opening celebrations, which will also see steam engine rides in operation with a replica of Stephenson's Rocket.
The New Hall opens to the public tomorrow (24th May) and is well worth a visit – you will not be disappointed!
“I can't wait for our visitors to experience New Hall. Great days out are made at Locomotion, and now it's bigger and better than ever.
“Whether you're joining our special opening celebrations or making a date to visit us in the future, New Hall is the place to be to celebrate the North East's railway story for generations to come, ahead of the nationally significant bicentenary celebration of the railways in 2025.”
Sarah Price, Head of Locomotion
“We're delighted that New Hall is ready to open and to enhance the already world-class visitor offer we have at Locomotion and across the ‘culture county' that is Durham.
“It's fitting that New Hall opens ahead of the exciting celebrations of 20 years of Locomotion and 200 years of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, on which the first ever steam-locomotive powered passenger journey set out from right here at Shildon.
“We look forward to people enjoying New Hall for years to come, and to it playing its part in the county's continued economic growth.”
Cllr Amanda Hopgood, Leader of Durham County Council and North East Combined Authority Cabinet member for culture, creative, tourism and sport
To keep in the history of the items, the water is clearly a moat.
Do you really have to wade through that puddle in the first pic ? – not great civil engineering setting out.
Sincerely hope they’ve considered wheelchair users fully, no displays raised up so that they can’t see them and space for wheelchairs in front of TV/video presentations, not pushed to the side.
Also big enough accessible toilets for carers and wheelchair users!
If so it should be worth the expense.
The aisles between have been designed wide enough for wheelchair access and some of the displays have audio/visual displays allowing also for hearing aids. The disabled toilets are easy accessable
The aisles between have been designed wide enough for wheelchair access and some of the displays have audio/visual displays allowing also for hearing aids. The disabled toilets are easy accessable
I hope that an old Tyne and Wear Metro train will be on show as part of the North East railway history .